The One Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge

  In an effort to provide reliable information and raise public consciousness about the validity of claims made about the paranormal, The James Randi Educational Foundation offers its 1 Million Dollar Paranormal Challenge.

  The offer began with a $100 prize to be awarded by James Randi in 1968, to the first person who could provide objective proof of the paranormal. It continues to this day through the foundation’s current challenge.

  The one-million-dollar prize is offered to anyone who can show, under proper observing conditions, evidence of any paranormal, supernatural, or occult power or event.

  The JREF is committed to providing the most transparent and unbiased conditions possible for testing claims for the prize. It never directly involves itself in the testing procedure, other than helping to design the protocol and approving the conditions under which a test will take place. All tests are designed with the participation and approval of the applicant. In most cases, the applicant will be asked to perform a relatively simple preliminary test of the claim, which if successful, will be followed by the formal test. Preliminary tests are often conducted by associates of the JREF at the site where the applicant lives. Upon success in the preliminary testing process, the "applicant" becomes a "claimant."

  The One Million Challenge is now under the direction of Banachek. Banachek is a world-renowned mentalist and expert in the examination and testing of paranormal claims. He has long been associated with JREF, its Million Dollar Challenge, and other efforts to increase our understanding of the paranormal and pseudoscientific.

  For more information about the Million Dollar Challenge or to obtain an application, please visit www.randi.org

 

About the Author

  James Randi first achieved international recognition as a professional stage magician, beginning as a mentalist and later identified as one of the best escape artists in the history of magic. During his long and successful career, he performed as "The Amazing Randi" to international audiences in theaters, cabaret, and on TV.

  Today, James Randi is best known as a tireless investigator of paranormal, supernatural, and pseudoscientific claims. His devotion to the rigorous examination of such claims has led to the exposure of faith healers, psychics, medical frauds, and cult leaders. He is considered by many to be the most important figure in modern skepticism for these contributions, as well as for his work in raising public awareness about the dangers of uncritical belief.

  He lectures regularly at leading colleges and universities, academic meetings and events like The Amaz!ng Meeting, the world’s largest critical thinking conference, which he helped to found in 2003. He is the author of hundreds of articles and numerous books, including, The Truth About Uri Geller, The Faith Healers, and An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural.

  Randi has received many prestigious awards and recognitions, including a Fellowship from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation in 1986.

  He currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, where he works to advance the mission of the James Randi Educational Foundation.