A cursory glance at the areas of inquiry of researcher Rupert Sheldrake might set off some skepticism alarms: paranormal events, morphogenetic fields, psychic phenomenon involving pets. But Sheldrake is careful to not sound like a quack in a book that asks to be taken seriously by both scientists and inquisitive laymen. In Seven Experiments That Could Change the World, he walks us through subjects that might be taboo to many researchers but whose mysteries continue to be elusive, and suggests ways in which we might pick up where science left off in seeking answers to some questions.

Part one deals with some of the unexplained phenomenon observed in animals, from the remarkable homing abilities of pigeons to the possibility that your pet knows when you are returning home. The second part of the book covers the strange ground of human perception of phantom limbs, out-of-body experiences, and the widely experienced sense of being stared at. Sheldrake presents interesting theories of how these phenomenon may function and proposes simple experiments. Much of what we have learned in the sciences in the last century is far more complex than can be dissected by Occam’s razor, but Sheldrake tends to keep at least one foot on the ground in most of his theorizing.

Perhaps the most valuable parts of the book are not these fascinating experiments, but the several essays on the limitations and blind spots of traditional science that, far from being mere bashing of scientific rationalism, are incisive and constructive philosophical critiques. The book was originally published in 1995 and this second edition features follow-ups on many of his experiments and feedback from readers.