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Q: According to scientists, a Ouija board is not all trickery or illusory correlation. What's the real physiological effect to help explain its workings?

A: In case you've never used one, it allows players to ask questions of the spirit world and get answers from a planchette, or marker, that moves across a board marked with letters, numbers, and the words "yes," "no," "maybe" and "good-bye," say Stephen Macknik and Susana Martinez-Conde in "Sleights of Mind." It's believed that the players themselves unconsciously move the planchette via the "ideomotor effect," where voluntary muscles make tiny movements outside of conscious awareness that can cause the marker to drift toward one letter, then another, and so on. Though the movements are self-generated, the illusion of an outside force is compelling.

Now not to be killjoys, but "if you want to expose the illusion of the Ouija board, ask the players to put on blindfolds as they move the planchette. Their spelled out messages will be gibberish."

Send questions to StrangeTrue@compuserve.com.

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Today is Saturday, Feb. 4, the 35th day of 2012. There are 331 days left in the year.

1862 -- 150 years ago: The numerous friends of James G. Bolmer, one of the old settlers of this region, are delighted to welcome him back after four years' absence. He expects to make this his permanent home.

1887 -- 125 years ago: Mississippi River packet companies are organizing for the opening of the coming shipping season.

1912 -- 100 years ago: Three hundred and fifty people attended a ceremony last night at the Rock Island Elks Lodge celebrating its fourth anniversary in the new home.

1937 -- 75 years ago: The national resources committee has recommended a $3.7 million sewage-disposal plant for the city of Rock Island. The city would be expected to pay 55 percent of the cost of the project.

1962 -- 50 years ago: Construction of a Rock Island Swim and Recreation Club, which will include both indoor and outdoor pools, tennis facilities and picnic and camping areas, will begin in late spring.

1987 -- 25 years ago: The Augustana College Theater production of "Amadeus" by Peter Shaffer will open this weekend for a two-week, six-performance run.

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