Supernature

by Lyall Watson

SUPERNATURE - The legendary, ground-breaking book about the supernatural.

Lyall Watson has challenged scientific orthodoxy by applying new criteria to the investigation of supernatural phenomena. His fascinating and open-minded scientific study proves beyond doubt that science is stranger than the supernatural.

(from the back cover)

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Paranormal, Popular Science, Nature, Philosophy, New Age

Paperback

First published January 1, 1973

About the author

Lyall Watson was a South African botanist, zoologist, biologist, anthropologist, ethologist, and author of many new age books, among the most popular of which is the best seller Supernature. Lyall Watson tried to make sense of natural and supernatural phenomena in biological terms. He is credited with the first published use of the term "hundredth monkey" in his 1979 book, Lifetide. It is a hypothesis that aroused both interest and ire in the scientific community and continues to be a topic of discussion over a quarter century later.

He was born in Johannesburg as Malcolm Lyall-Watson. He had an early fascination for nature in the surrounding bush, learning from Zulu and !Kung bushmen. Watson attended boarding school at Rondebosch Boys' High School in Cape Town, completing his studies in 1955. He enrolled at Witwatersrand University in 1956, where he earned degrees in botany and zoology, before securing an apprenticeship in palaentology under Raymond Dart, leading on to anthropological studies in Germany and the Netherlands. Later he earned degrees in geology, chemistry, marine biology, ecology and anthropology. He completed a doctorate of ethology at the University of London, under Desmond Morris. He also worked at the BBC writing and producing nature documentaries.

Around this time he shortened his name to Lyall Watson. He served as director of the Johannesburg Zoo, an expedition leader to various locales, and Seychelles commissioner for the International Whaling Commission.

In the late 1980s he presented Channel 4's coverage of sumo tournaments.

Lyall Watson began writing his first book, Omnivore during the early 1960s while under the supervision of Desmond Morris, and wrote more than 20 others.

Reviews

[Michelle]

Occasionally, I like to read 100% pure A-grade pseudoscience. This hit the spot. It has the added bonus of giving some glimpses into questions real scientists were asking back in the 70s.
An excellent book to read while stoned.

[Gayle Lui]

I read this book in secondary school, it has had a huge effect on my life and how I think about the world!

[BLRBrazil]

Perhaps the most influential book I have ever read, it opened my eyes, back in the 1970s, to what a fascinating world we live in and how much we still have to learn about it and how it functions. I think that, more than 40 years later, that is still true.
Lyall Watson makes a serious attempt to come up with possible explanations for the weird and wonderful things that occur that science has no answers to. In Supernature II he even bravely tried to draw the threads together in search of the elusive unifying theory. Ultimately, he wasn't successful, but the journey is well worth embarking on with him anyway.

[Ashen]

A phenomenal introduction to the supernatural, looked at from a totally different angle. This is one of my dad's favourite books, and it's been a part of my life for as long as I can remember.

[Alexander]

The ideas explored in this book are literally mind-blowing!

[Sebastian]

Some awesome (as in spectacular), though provoking and tantalizingly credible ideas which could have changed science (and anthropology) irrevocably had he stuck to the science. He did his reputation enormous discredit with some of his barmier ideas, though. Although some would say he already was, I believe he could have been a great speculative fiction writer had the fancy taken him.

[Jeff]

Yes,this is a book revisited.written in 1973,this was stunning entry for anyone remotely interested in "how life works".written by a biologist with a novelist's skill,it still stands up very well.Most thesis presented have been accepted as fact these days.For me,Watsons'fancival prose is the only thing that sounds dated.hence the 4 not 5 stars.

[Robert]

I read this compeling book many moons ago in the 'roaring' 1970s. I loved it so much and I decided to read it again. LW explains the seemingly unexplainable in a simple way..even a child can understand it. I'm currently looking for Vol. II.

[Jay]

Excellent book, extremely intriguing, would recommend

[عمار آلاشلو]

بهترین کتابی که تا به حال در بررسی علمی پدیده های نادر خوانده ام می باشد

[Kerry]

One of the most interesting books I have ever read. Read it many years ago now and I would love to revisit his research in the 21st Century. Fascinating stuff!

[Katya Fatekhova]

This book was such fun to read, it reignited a spark in me and reminded me how thrilling it can feel just to be alive. It’s gradual depth and open minded approach to the occult and science me to reflect on my own life and the quiet miracle of simply existing. It’s open-minded, curious, and full of fascinating stories, and a good reminder to approach my own life with the same sense of wonder and intention.

[Yazdanpanah Askari]

عکاسی کرلیان صفحه 158

میوه ها آواز میخواندند : سپهری هشت کتاب ص 369

[Carlyn]

This book changed my life. It made me feel part of the intricate web of nature, where unseen phenomenon has a natural explanation.

[Will Barker]

I read this book a long time ago. I remember it was great! I've just decided to pick-it-up again. I'm working with a bunch of biologists and think it would make a fascinating book club book. So, flicking-thru' the reviews, the initial reviews all focused-on the "supernatural" aspect. I remember it much more for the "Super/Nature" aspect. Nature in all its fascinating detail, "flowers dumping-pollen-on bees backs using a spring-triggered-stamen mechanism" "shellfish which open with moon's gravity, "cuttle-fish that communicate in symphonies of color", that sort of thing. However, it was the seventies, so I guess it was also a very colorful exercise in imagination. The mechanism of water has still not been fully scientifically explained, it's magical. As somebody smart once said, any sufficiently advanced technology would seem like sorcery to another culture. I think the same can be said of understanding nature/energy fields, from the first cyanobacteria mutation to the magical power of sunlight. The flights sometimes may well be fanciful in this book, but it's full of good solid trivia. Love trivia.

[Searchingthemeaningoflife Greece]

[...]Ως τώρα δεν γνωρίζουμε κανένα ἄλλο είδος που να παράγει ψυχοκινητικά αποτελέσματα. Εἴπαμε πώς τά φαινόμενα αὐτά ἀποτελοῦν κυριαρχία τοῦ πνεύματος πάνω στήν ὕλη, δεν σημαίνει ὡστόσο πώς ἔχουν ἀναγκαστικά σάν προϋπόθεση τή συνειδητότητα. Δέν εἶναι ἀπίθανο καί ἄλλοι ὀργανισμοί, σέ ὅλα τά ἐπίπεδα τῆς ἐξέλιξης, νά ἔχουν τήν ἱκανότητα να παράγουν τά πεδία ἰσχύος πού δημιουργοῦν τήν κίνηση ἀπό μακριά. ῎Αν εἶναι ἀλήθεια, τότε ἡ ψυχοκίνηση θά μποροῦσε ν᾿ ἀποτελέσει τεράστιο βιολογικό παράγοντα, συσφίγγοντας τούς δεσμούς ἀνάμεσα στή ζωή καί τό περιβάλλον της, σε σημείο πού δέν πίστευαν δυνατό οὔτε οἱ πιό ὁραματιστές οἰκολόγοι. Υποπτεύομαι πώς ἡ ΄Υπερφύση μᾶς ἐπιφυλάσσει πολλές τέτοιες ἐκπλήξεις.[...]

[Shaun McNamara]

I first encountered this book on a friends bookshelf in the late 80’s. I borrowed it and enjoyed it hugely at the time. I recently bought a copy that i chanced upon in a 2nd hand book store. I enjoyed this grab bag of interesting subjects just as much as i did the first time around. I particularly enjoy reading books that were penned in the 60’s and 70’s, so these writings were, and continue to be, a treat for me.

[عمار آلاشلو]

واقعا کتاب عجیبی بود. بر خلاف سایر کتابهای علوم ماوراء از دیدگاه آزمایشگاهی و آکادمیک به مسائل نگاه کرده بود و هر جا کم آورده بود دست به توجیه نزده بود بلکه در حد توانش شواهد رو ارائه داده بود.
دیدگاه من رو نسبت به خیلی از مسائل کاملا تغییر داد

[Max China]

I've read this book twice. The first time just after it was originally released and the second time only last year. I preferred Watson's approach to the subject over say, Colin Wilson. Still fresh and very interesting even after all these years.

[Katie Brydon]

A fascinating read! Although some sections are a little outdated, it me a new appreciation for how complex and mystical the world we live in is. A shame that many of his points about our need to protect the environment/other species still ring true today 40 odd years later.

[Amanda Ure]

I really enjoyed this book and found it fascinating, but unfortunately I strongly suspect it's a complete tissue of lies.

[Fi]

This book literally changed my life: it opened my mind to science (which I went on to study), to nature, to possibilities I had never imagined

[jason Wynter]

Its a good read

[Linda]

This is a book that dances on the thin border between the Science and Occult.
Talking about how far the Science has gone and where the interpretation starts. I really like the word interpretation, as the Occult means only not known, not proven, not explored yet, according to Watson. Still - existing, out there, or maybe within us.

An amazing collection of examples, research, tests and ideas about the nature around us and us as a part of nature. About this, in my opinion, we should talk more and more.

It was truly adventurous to read about the evolution of bats and moths in order to catch the pray/escape. Would be lovely to know how this development would go in the future. Also, I found it really interesting that the vibrations make the patterns of animal skin (for instance if you put sand on drums, or on paper that is on the strings of an instrument and so on). And of course, I absolutely loved the descriptions of various experiments on telepathy, telekinesis and other mysteries that turn out not to be such mysteries in the end. Just not explored further yet.

Although it would be so interesting to read the continuation of the book - how the described topics have been researched after the publishing this book, in 80ties, 90ties and in the last 20 years.

[Bekki Shining Bearheart]

All of Watson's books are amazing. This is the one which introduced him to the world. Crow, my partner of 34 years and an anthropologist, discovered him in the early 70s, and when we met in 1980 he soon introduced me to this book- took a couple of years before I read it but then became a convert.

[Garima Aggarwal]

I love the book - it is interesting, exciting, and for me most of the ideas were new.

In fact, four years on I still think about the book off and on and so decided to tell more people about it - here is my detailed writeup for it - https://homopoetica1.substack.com/p/i.... (No spam, promise :) )

[C.S. Doron]

Fantastic book and still relevant today. I read this book over 15 years ago and continue to reflect on the interesting cases of supernatural phenomenon discussed in this book with possible explanations by the author.

[Penney Peirce]

An older book but chock full of great ideas!

[Mariana Santos]

Really interesting book, thoroughly enjoyed it!

[EthericRemedy]

A super important read for anyone looking to discover the secrets of the universe.