Deep within secretive government research facilities around the world, not all experiments have been limited to weaponry or technology. Some ventures delve into the eerie, exploring phenomena that defy conventional science—paranormal activities that chill the spine. From psychic arms races to mind-controlled assassinations, here are ten covert government experiments involving the paranormal that remained hidden from the public eye.

10. Nazi Occultism: The Beginning of the Psychic Arms Race
During World War II, the Nazi regime reportedly embarked on secret research into psychic phenomena under the wing of Heinrich Himmler’s scientific organization. This program blended occult beliefs with attempts to unlock psychic powers such as telepathy and telekinesis. Although many records were lost or destroyed, the Allies uncovered fragments pointing to a "psychic arms race" that likely continued post-war, inspiring both Western and Soviet espionage agencies to develop their own clandestine programs.

9. Soviet Biological Communication: Telepathy via Submarines
The Cold War intensified paranormal research, with the Soviets focusing on the biology behind psychic abilities. One notable experiment sought to use telepathic communication to transmit messages to submarines submerged in remote locations—bypassing conventional, interceptable radio waves. While the experiment is confirmed historically, the results have never been declassified, leaving questions about the true potential and outcomes of this biological communication method.

8. The Kulagina Trials: Mind Over Matter on Display
Nina Kulagina, a Russian woman born in 1926, became a renowned subject of Soviet psychic experiments due to her alleged psychokinetic abilities—manipulating objects with her mind. During a famed 1970 trial, she reportedly stopped a frog’s heart with sheer mental force. Over 40 scientists, including Nobel laureates, studied her in hopes of harnessing such powers for lethal or espionage purposes. Tragically, much about her later life and the fate of related files remains a mystery.

7. The Uri Geller CIA Experiments: Testing Israeli Psychic Claims
In 1973, the CIA spent eight days conducting experiments to evaluate the psychic claims of Uri Geller, a famed Israeli psychic known for bending spoons and displaying clairvoyance. Despite skeptics like James Randi dismissing him as a fraud, official CIA documents revealed belief in his abilities. One notable experiment involved Geller supposedly drawing a firecracker after being shown the word “fuse,” and he even claimed to have been asked to detonate nuclear devices telepathically.

6. Project Blue Book: America’s Official UFO Study
From 1952 to 1970, the United States Air Force conducted Project Blue Book, the most well-known government-backed study of unidentified flying objects. While officially project leaders maintained UFOs posed no national security threat, thousands of sightings were collected, some remaining unexplained. Subsequent classified work suggests that UFO investigations have continued clandestinely beyond Blue Book’s closure.

5. Naval Premonition Research: Intuition on the Battlefield
In 2014, the U.S. Navy allocated $3.85 million toward studying psychic phenomena, aiming to apply such powers practically in military contexts. Following anecdotal wartime incidents—like staff sergeants intuitively detecting explosives—this research sought to train personnel in psychic intuition. The objective was to improve response times to imminent threats, though critics warn such developments could be used for darker agendas.

4. The Philadelphia Experiment: Teleportation Gone Wrong?
One of the most infamous alleged military experiments, the Philadelphia Experiment reportedly occurred in 1943. According to later anonymous accounts, the U.S. Navy attempted to render a ship invisible and teleport it across the country by applying a unified field theory. The experiment supposedly backfired: crew members were said to have merged with the ship’s metal or suffered horrific mutations. Despite its legendary status, much about this experiment remains entrenched in controversy and rumor.

3. Psychic Survey Post-9/11: Hunting Terrorists with ESP
Following the September 11 attacks, the UK government commissioned secret research to explore psychic abilities as a tool for national security. Under the guise of an academic survey, researchers collected data from self-identified psychics and tested their ability to remotely identify hidden images. Some participants reportedly succeeded beyond explanations, though the project’s scope and its continuation remain classified.

2. Soviet Cosmonaut Communication: Psychic Training in Space
In the 1950s and beyond, Soviet programs reportedly sought to enable their cosmonauts to communicate telepathically over vast distances, as part of a larger effort to establish a psychic-based communication network. Reports suggest cosmonauts underwent psychic training to build this ability, which was touted in Soviet press as integral to space mission success, though actual operational use remains undocumented outside classified circles.

1. The Psychic Arms Race: Ongoing Secret Programs
Collectively, these examples reveal a decades-long competition—sometimes called a "psychic arms race"—between world powers vying to harness paranormal phenomena. Initiated during World War II, this covert pursuit continues according to some reports, with secret labs working on everything from telekinesis weaponization to telepathic espionage, hidden far from public scrutiny.

Despite skepticism and controversy, the recurring theme is clear: throughout modern history, governments have aggressively explored paranormal capabilities in the shadows. While many details remain classified or obscured by lost documentation, these secret experiments highlight humanity’s persistent fascination and fear of the unknown—especially when harnessed for power and defense. Whether any of these efforts truly yielded tangible results is still a mystery, but the shadows they cast continue to intrigue and tantalize those who dare to look beyond the veil.