The revelation that a pair of untrained teenagers had succeeded in hoodwinking a well-funded team of scientists exposed the lax methodology and lack of scientific control rife in the field of parapsychological research and led to permanent closure of the laboratory. Over the course of four years from 1979 to 1982, Banachek and Edwards replicated numerous mentalist effects, so thoroughly convincing researchers of the authenticity of their alleged paranormal abilities that some could not later be persuaded that they had in fact been deceived.
Project Alpha īanachek at the 1983 CSICOP Conference in Buffalo, New Yorkīanachek collaborated with fellow teenager Michael Edwards on James Randi's Project Alpha experiment at the newly founded McDonnell Laboratory for Psychical Research of Washington University. Having developed multiple methods for replicating Geller's tricks, Banachek wrote a letter to Randi in which he volunteered to demonstrate the gullibility of scientists studying parapsychology by deceiving them into believing that his mentalist tricks were genuine displays of psychic power. He was inspired to take up magic after reading The Truth About Uri Geller, a book by magician James Randi that debunked the paranormal claims of Uri Geller, famous for his feats of mentalism, particularly spoon bending.
BANACEK PROJECT SERIES
ĭeciding that his given name did not sound memorable enough for a stage performer, Shaw adopted the stage name Banachek from the American detective television series Banacek. He was abandoned at the age of nine in South Africa with his two brothers, aged one and three, and raised them by himself until he was 16. Banachek was born in England and raised in South Africa and Australia.
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