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The Journal of Scientific Exploration is the quarterly publication of the Society for Scientific Exploration (founded in 1982).
Editorial board
The editorial board is composed of persons holding faculty positions at various respectable universities and other institutions of mainstream science. However, a closer look suggests that the current board consists exclusively of academics who have a reputation for publishing in fringe science topics:
- Mikel Aickin, (Ctr. for Health Res., Kaiser Permanente, in Portland, OR) publishes on paranormal topics
- Rémy Chauvin (Sorbonne), ditto
- Olivier Costa de Beauregard (University of Paris), ditto
- Steven J. Dick (United States Naval Observatory), ditto
- Peter Fenwick (Institute of Psychiatry, London) publishes on life after death
- Alan Gauld (Dept. of Psychology, University of Nottingham) has been described as a parapsychologist (at JSE)
- Richard C. Henry (Dept. of Physics & Astronomy, Johns Hopkins University) publishes on UFOs and other paranormal topics,
- Robert G. Jahn (School of Engineering, Princeton University) publishes on psychokinesis; see also Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Lab (PEAR)
- W. H. Jefferys, (Astronomy, University of Texas) publishes on "paranormal dreaming"
- Wayne B. Jonas, (National Institutes of Health) publishes on "magical thinking" and homeopathy
- Michael Levin, (Cell Biology Dept., Harvard Medical School) publishes on Psionics and "paranormal information transfer"
- David Pieri (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) publishes on the so-called Face on Mars
- Ian B. Stevenson (Health Science Center, University of Virginia) published on reincarnation and is the author of book on paranormal
- Peter A. Sturrock (Ctr. for Space Science & Astrophysics, Stanford University) publishes on UFOs
- Yervant Terzian (Astronomy, Cornell University) publishes on UFOs
- N. C. Wickramasinghe (University College Cardiff) publishes on a paranormal "plasma vortex"; see also plasma cosmology and Fred Hoyle
Indeed, many of these persons have published on paranormal or fringe science topics in the JSE itself. One of the founders of the JSE appears to be Bernard Haisch, who also has established a reputation as a fringe scientist who publishes on UFOs in the JSE and other places, and who has recently founded an organization he calls UFO Skeptic, which promotes the UFO conspiracy theory.
Fringe science content
The mission statement of this publication states that it was
established in 1987 to provide a professional forum for the presentation, scrutiny and criticism of scientific research on topics outside the established disciplines of mainstream science.
— JSE website
The JSE claims to strive for standards comparable to mainstream journals, with mixed success. It's website states that submissions are accepted or rejected on the basis of peer review, and that the Journal does not advocate any of the published topics. However, while some paranormal researchers regard the Journal as a legitimate attempt to explore the frontiers of science, mainstream scientists generally view it as a forum for scientifically dubious ideas.
Examining the contents of random issues suggests that JSE typically publishes articles seeking to present alleged "scientific evidence" for the existence of UFOs, psionics, psychokinesis, precognition, life after death, and various other paranormal notions, as well as Bigfoot and other cryptids, the Face on Mars and UFO conspiracy theories. (See the external links below for tables of content for all or most issues of the JSE.) Furthermore, the fact that the editorial board appears to be composed exclusively of paranormal researchers suggests that the pool of referees for this journal has a similar composition.