Governments worldwide are often associated with pioneering technological and military research. However, lurking beneath the surface of conventional science lies a more mysterious and chilling facet of governmental experimentation: studies into the paranormal. From psychic powers to teleportation, secretive projects have explored supernatural phenomena — many of which continue to baffle us today. Here, we delve into ten classified government experiments into the paranormal that have remained hidden in the shadows.

1. Nazi Occultism and Psychic Research

The origins of some paranormal government experiments may trace back to Nazi Germany during World War II. The Nazis, under Heinrich Himmler’s SS “science” organization, conducted horrific experiments that extended into the realm of occultism and psychic phenomena. They sought to harness powers like telepathy and telekinesis and collected numerous cult artifacts hoping to unlock otherworldly abilities. Although documentation is sparse, it is widely believed that after the war, Allied and Soviet forces competed in a psychic arms race, continuing similar research in secret laboratories.

2. Soviet Biological Communication with Submarines

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States approached paranormal research differently. Soviets aimed to understand a biological basis behind psychic abilities. One notable program tested whether telepathic communication could be used to contact remote military submarines, providing an undetectable communication method that wouldn’t rely on radios or traditional infrastructure. Although verified to have occurred, the results and implications of this work remain classified.

3. Nina Kulagina’s Psychokinesis Trials

Nina Kulagina was a Soviet woman purported to possess extraordinary psychokinetic abilities, such as moving objects with her mind. During the Cold War, multiple experiments were conducted on her with a team of 40 scientists, including Nobel laureates. One striking test demonstrated her capacity to stop a frog’s heart remotely. The Soviet government hoped to weaponize such powers for assassination or battlefield advantage. However, records of these experiments have mysteriously vanished, and Nina’s fate remains unknown.

4. The CIA and Uri Geller’s Psychic Investigations

The CIA famously tested Israeli psychic Uri Geller in 1973 over eight days, exploring his alleged clairvoyance and telekinetic powers. Documents released in 2017 reveal experiments where Geller correctly identified randomly chosen words and images from another room. Despite skepticism and debunking efforts by notable figures like James Randi, some researchers involved concluded that Geller demonstrated genuine psychic phenomena. Geller even claimed to have been asked to stop nuclear detonations with his mind.

5. Project Blue Book and UFO Investigations

Perhaps the most well-known government paranormal study, Project Blue Book was the U.S. Air Force’s official investigation into unidentified flying objects (UFOs) from 1952 through 1970. Thousands of sightings were analyzed to determine if they posed national security risks. Though officially dismissed as non-threatening, some cases remain unexplained. Recent disclosures admit ongoing government investigations into UFOs, with much of the detailed information still classified.

6. U.S. Navy’s Psychic Premonition Research

In 2014, the U.S. Navy reportedly invested $3.85 million into psychic research, focusing on practical applications rather than scientific understanding. Notably, personnel in Iraq purportedly demonstrated psychic intuition by detecting IEDs moments before explosions. The Navy aimed to train soldiers to harness such precognitive abilities to improve battlefield awareness and survival odds. However, critics warn these powers could be exploited for covert or morally dubious military purposes.

7. The Philadelphia Experiment: Teleportation and Parallel Dimensions

The legendary Philadelphia Experiment, alleged to have occurred in 1943, involved the supposed teleportation of a U.S. Navy ship across the country using unified field theory physics. Reports claim the experiment resulted in crew members fusing with the ship’s metal, suffering horrific mutations. Originating from mysterious letters and anonymous sources, this highly controversial story offers a chilling glimpse into the potential dangers of meddling with paranormal physics — though no credible evidence confirms its reality.

8. UK’s Post-9/11 Psychic Survey

After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, the UK government covertly explored whether psychic insight could aid in detecting terror threats preemptively. An undercover academic survey identified psychics with extrasensory talents and tested their abilities to perceive distant, hidden images. Some participants reportedly succeeded beyond chance levels. Despite promising results, the research’s progress and implementation remain classified, adding to the enigma surrounding government use of paranormal intelligence.

9. Soviet Cosmonauts and Telepathic Communication

The Soviets reportedly sought to create a telecommunication network for cosmonauts using psychic ability. Training regimens for astronauts purportedly included exercises designed to heighten extrasensory perception and enable mental communication over vast distances. Soviet media even promoted psychic training as an essential part of cosmonaut preparation. Whether this psychic network was ever operational or effective remains classified and shrouded in Soviet secrecy.

10. The KGB’s Psychic Arms Race

Beyond isolated studies, the broader context of Cold War espionage involved a secretive psychic arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Both nations invested resources into developing mind-based weapons and intelligence-gathering tools, seeking advantages that transcended traditional espionage. While much of this rivalry remains hidden beneath layers of classification, declassified records suggest the paranormal played a significant role in covert government projects.

Final Thoughts

The intersection of government research and the paranormal remains a tantalizing yet highly secretive subject. These ten experiments scratch the surface of a shadowy realm where science, military ambition, and supernatural speculation collide. Whether harnessing psychic powers, exploring alien phenomena, or bending the laws of physics, these covert endeavors reveal humanity’s relentless curiosity and quest for control over the unknown. As new documents emerge and secrecy erodes, the true extent of governmental paranormal programs may finally come to light, reshaping our understanding of what is possible—and what lies beyond.