From Abracadabra to Zombies
reader comments: E-rays
18 Sep 1998
The claims about Erdstrahlen are closely related to the claims of Wasseradern,
which could be translated as "water veins". Water veins are said to be the paths
that groundwater runs in. They are said to be responsible for cancer, insomnia, and
several other illnesses, especially when they cross under your bed. Wasseradern
emit E-rays. Roads where accidents occur more often than elsewhere are found to be
strongly "E-ray emitting". Certain animals can "feel" these E-rays.
Cats for instance would never lie down where E-rays occur; bees are attracted to these
places. And so on.
The claims about Erdstrahlen and Wasseradern are indeed very popular in Germany and the German-speaking countries like Austria and Switzerland. "Wasseradern" have a tradition of some hundred years, whereas "Erdstrahlen" seem to be connected to the 20th century. At least I found no older source.
It is interesting that almost everybody [in Germany] knows about things that do not
exist. Ask anybody about Wasseradern and Erdstrahlen, everybody has
heard about it and accepts it as a fact. Ask them about what groundwater really does in
the ground, and no one will be able to tell you.
Heiko Diekmann, Hamburg, Germany
reply: There are many people everywhere who know about things that do not exist. Psychologist Thomas Gilovich wrote a book about them called How We Know What Isn't' So: The Fallibility of Human Reason in Everyday Life (New York: The Free Press, 1993). I highly recommend it.
E-rays
