b"Divination: A geophysicist's viewFeaturedaffy days of liberated cultural relativism where objectiveAustralian Skeptics Divining Test: https://www.skeptics.com.au/reality can be blithely rejected, and where beliefs trump facts.resources/articles/australian-skeptics-divining-test/I note too that divining thrives on degree of difficulty. It is theBateman, A.M., 1959. Economic Mineral Deposits: John Wiley & instrument of last resort when all else has failed e.g. whenSonsgeophysics with ground probing radar encounters conductiveBecker, J.J., 1635. Chemisches Laborotorium: Frankfurtterrain; or seismic refraction is attempted over a sedimentaryEllis, A.J., 1917. The Divining Rod: Water Supply Paper 416 US column with velocity inversion, or magnetics is applied in areasGeol. Surveydevoid of Fe, Mn minerals. Nothing, not even drilling, seems toEmerson, D.W., et al, 1992. The magnetic and transient work, so why not give divining a go? electromagnetic responses of drumsfield tests in weathered Hawkesbury Sandstone, Sydney Basin, NSW: I conclude by predicting that the divining rod will endure.Exploration Geophysics, 23, 589-617 [special issue on Confident dowsers will continue to be called on to apply theirenvironmental geophysics]art. I am reminded of the persistent amateur concert singerFalconer, W.A., 2001. CiceroDe Divinatione: Harvard Uni. Press. Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944) famed for her indifference[Loeb Classical Library No 154]to the fetters of music notation. Her execrable warbling providedFrazer, J.G., 1983. The Golden Bough: The Macmillan Press.giggling concert attendees with a bizarrely enjoyable, butHoover H.C. & Hoover L.H., 1912. De Re Metallica (translation of less than highly aesthetic, experience. Florence Foster JenkinsGeorgius Agricolas 1556 Latin edition): The Mining Magazine, generated much uncomplimentary comment, but she was aLondon [1950 edition, Dover Publs. New York]well-meaning woman who held her audience. In my opinion sheHornblower, S., Spawforth. A., Eidinow E., 2012. Oxford Classical had the last word, reportedly observing that people say I cannotDictionary, p.469-470: Oxford Uni. Presssing, but no one could say that I did not sing. Hatch, M., 2019, Environmental Geophysics, ASEG Preview, 198, It seems to me that, as with Florence Foster Jenkins, diviningp. 24aims to achieve success without the wherewithal to do so. TheKircher, A., 1678. Mundus subterraneus, 3rd ed: J. Janssonius, honest efforts of dowsers in harmless applications such as waterAmsterdam.witching are tolerated, or encouraged, or even admired, by some.Leet, L.D., 1968. The Divining Rod: Encycl. Britannica (7, 511) However, I doubt that an easy-going attitude can be adoptedWm. Rendon Publ.towards divination applied to dangerous situations such as UXOMiller, W., 2005. Cicero-De Officiis: Harvard Uni Press [Loeb location, or to forensic work with legal implications. In such fields,Classical Library No 30]divination, as for any other technique such as geophysics, needsNovella, S. et al, 2018. The Skeptics Guide to the Universe: its strengths, if any, and its limitations established by empiricalHodder & Stoughton.investigation and published analysis. It would appear that this isRackham, H., 2000. Cicerode Natura Deorum: Harvard Uni. yet to happen, and until it does divination has more in commonPress [Loeb Classical Library No, 268]with the sance than with science. Rowling J.K., 1997. Harry Potter and the philosophers stone: Blomberg Publ. (also available in Ancient Greektranslated by Wilson A., 2004: Bloomberg)Acknowledgements Shin, Yun Kyoung, 2010. A review of contemporary ideomotor theory. PsycNET. American Psychological Association.I am indebted to: David Kalnins for textual help and guidanceTodd, D.K, 1980. Groundwater Hydrology: John Wiley & Sonsand for handling the layout of this article; Lainie and EmilijaWarmington, E.H., 1980. Tacitus-Germania: Harvard Uni Press Kalnins for work on Table 1 and Figures 7, 8, and 12; Roger[Loeb Classical Library No 35]Henderson and David Kalnins for suggestions; Lisa Worrall and Phil Schmidt for comments and review. Many thanks to all.Bibliography Don Emerson is a geophysical consultant specialising in Adams, F. D., 1954. The birth and development of the geologicalthe physics of minerals and rocks, he also has an interest in sciences: Dover Publishing ancient and medieval geoscience.57 PREVIEW DECEMBER 2020"