Does holy water help radishes grow better?
In 1979, researcher Sandra Lenington of the University of Santa Clara set out to answer this question. Her curiosity had been sparked by learning that Canon William V. Rauscher had reported that “canna plants given holy water left over from use in religious services grew more than three times higher than canna plants which were not given holy water.” She decided to try to duplicate his observations under more rigorous conditions.
She watered one group of radishes with regular water, and a second group with holy water. After three weeks, she concluded that there was “no significant difference in the growth rates of these radish plants given holy water versus radish plants given tap water.” She published her results in the journal Psychological Reports (1979, 45, 381-382).
However, she noted that Canon Rauscher believed in the power of holy water, whereas she didn’t, and this may have affected the outcome of her study: “There are numerous documented studies showing that positive or negative belief will either benefit or adversely affect plant growth.” She suggested that future studies might try to better control for this variable.
She watered one group of radishes with regular water, and a second group with holy water. After three weeks, she concluded that there was “no significant difference in the growth rates of these radish plants given holy water versus radish plants given tap water.” She published her results in the journal Psychological Reports (1979, 45, 381-382).
However, she noted that Canon Rauscher believed in the power of holy water, whereas she didn’t, and this may have affected the outcome of her study: “There are numerous documented studies showing that positive or negative belief will either benefit or adversely affect plant growth.” She suggested that future studies might try to better control for this variable.
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Comments
Perhaps the radishes were atheists. Did she check their religion?
Posted by Virtual in Carnate on 02/01/20 at 02:12 PM
Ah, but did the *radishes* believe in the power of holy water??
Posted by Brian on 02/02/20 at 12:35 AM
Canon Rauscher might have been a believer of long-winded sermons, airy churches with big windows, daily prayer and "seed" offering. At this rate, no wonder his lone cane sugar plant grew and multiplied into several "canna plants".
Posted by Yudith on 02/03/20 at 11:41 AM
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Category: Religion | Science | Vegetables | 1970s