SoM Halloween Retrospective: William Marriott’s ‘Edge of the Unknown’

In honor of the spooky season, I’m pleased to share the following historical case study in paranormal debunking. This article series was published in Pearson’s Magazine in 1910. William Marriott was a paranormal investigator and psychic debunker (in the style of Houdini or James Randi). Throughout the series, he presents his anti-spiritualistic magic-inspired take on phenomena including seances, spirit writing, psychic healing, and spirit photography. The series presents a fascinating window into the interplay between science, magic, and spiritualism in the early part of the 20th century.