Meteorite hunter Bemile Mavinga joined guest host Connie Willis (info) to talk about his experience and his passion for finding meteorites. He shared his journey, which began in Congo, where he was born in 1968. Mavinga recounted a difficult early childhood, spending the first five years of his life in a hospital. At one point, he was declared dead but miraculously came back to life after his grandmother prayed fervently, convinced that he would survive. He recounted the day his mother found him alive, running under a tree, and how this experience earned him the nickname "the one who died and came back to life."
During this unusual event under the tree, Mavinga recalled seeing his first meteorite, though at the time he didn't understand what it was. He told his grandmother it was a "rock from the sky," and this early fascination sparked his lifelong interest in meteorites. In addition, he also experienced what he described as a UFO sighting, adding to the extraordinary nature of that day. These encounters, along with his early life in the hospital, made him keenly observant and connected to the sky. Mavinga said he began to search for meteorites actively and encountered his first one at the age of 14.
Mavinga has now spent over 24 years as a meteorite hunter. He explained how his connection to meteorites is almost intuitive, often feeling physical sensations like an itch in his hand when near a meteorite. He stressed that meteorites hold a unique vibrational frequency that guides him in finding them. Mavinga shared how he discovered his first meteorite, a small but heavy stone, which he has kept with him throughout his life, valuing its significance and ensuring it remains intact without cutting or altering it for scientific study.
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During the latter half of the show, interdisciplinary scientist Jon Taylor discussed his theory on precognition and extrasensory perception (ESP). His interest in these topics began in 1992 after a friend experienced a series of premonitions that intrigued him. These events led him to join the Society for Psychical Research in London, where he studied spontaneous cases of precognition in depth. He explored the existing research, seeking to understand the nature of ESP and how it could be scientifically explained. Over time, he realized that finding a theoretical framework for these phenomena would be a complex and lengthy process, requiring him to expand his studies into fields such as physics and cognitive neuroscience.
One of the key challenges Taylor faced was the "intervention paradox" or "bilking paradox," which questions how someone could foresee an event, such as a future accident, and then take steps to avoid it—thus preventing the precognition from ever happening. After years of exploration, he concluded that precognition is not about simple events but recognizing causes that produce effects. He explained that the brain forms connections between the present and future when in a similar state, allowing for the unconscious linking of events across time. This theory helps resolve the paradox and shows that the brain’s structure plays a crucial role in perceiving future events, he explained.
Taylor further expanded his understanding of ESP and precognition through scientific studies and practical experiences. He discussed the role of emotional intensity in telepathy and precognition, noting that highly emotional events are more likely to be perceived through these phenomena. His long-term study led to significant findings, which he presented at international conferences, including his initial theory on ESP in 2013 and further developments on intuition in 2019. He emphasized the need for a rigorous scientific approach to studying ESP, which can challenge mainstream skepticism and offer a deeper understanding of human consciousness and time perception.