In this fascinating episode of The Malliard Report, host Jim Malliard sits down with Dr. Barry Taff, a pioneering parapsychologist and author of Aliens Above, Ghosts Below: Explorations of the Unknown. Known for his decades of research into psychokinetic and haunting phenomena, Dr. Taff brings both scientific rigor and deep skepticism to the paranormal world. Together, Jim and Barry unpack what’s gone wrong in the field — and what’s still worth fighting for.
Dr. Taff shares stories from over 4,000 investigations across his 44-year career, explaining how the explosion of paranormal reality TV has, in his view, “set the field back 60 years.” He breaks down how entertainment-driven fabrications, fake evidence, and pseudoscience have drowned out legitimate research and made it harder to attract serious scientific inquiry. Jim’s grounded questions open a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the tension between authentic study and television spectacle.
Beyond media myths, the conversation dives into the true science of parapsychology — how human consciousness may interact with environmental variables such as geomagnetic fields, and why most “ghost-hunting gadgets” measure nothing meaningful. Dr. Taff argues that what people call “hauntings” may actually be expressions of untapped psychokinetic energy linked to human emotion and biology — a revolutionary concept that could reshape how we view both consciousness and physics.
In the final stretch, Dr. Taff expands the conversation beyond the paranormal, speculating on zero-point energy and its potential to power the planet, end pollution, and even take humanity to the stars. While critics may call such ideas fringe, his vision is rooted in a lifelong pursuit of evidence and understanding — a call for science to evolve rather than retreat into cynicism.
It’s an episode that balances skepticism and wonder — exactly what The Malliard Report does best: “Where the paranormal meets Pennsylvania grit.”
00:00 — Opening Chaos and Introduction
Jim wrestles with live radio gremlins before welcoming Dr. Barry Taff, parapsychologist and author of Aliens Above, Ghosts Below.
05:00 — The Decline of Paranormal Investigation
Dr. Taff reflects on 44 years of fieldwork and explains why serious cases have nearly vanished in recent years.
10:00 — The Curse of Reality TV
He argues that paranormal entertainment has damaged the credibility of true research — likening today’s investigators to “actors playing cops.”
15:00 — Science Behind the Phenomena
A deep dive into the biological and environmental patterns behind hauntings, including geomagnetic sensitivity and psychokinesis.
20:00 — Misunderstanding the Instruments
Barry dismantles the popular myth that EMF readers and gadgets detect ghosts — “You can’t measure what you don’t understand.”
25:00 — Media Manipulation and Exploitation
The darker side of TV contracts, false portrayals, and why he’s refused major offers to protect scientific integrity.
30:00 — Parapsychology vs. Paranormal Pop Culture
Jim asks how to tell a real parapsychologist from a pretender — Barry lays out the academic and ethical markers.
35:00 — The Future of Energy and Human Potential
Dr. Taff discusses zero-point energy and the possibilities for global transformation — if only we’d look beyond profit and fear.
40:00 — Final Reflections
A shared hope between host and guest: that curiosity and courage will outlast sensationalism in the search for truth.
“If you’re calling the people you see on TV to investigate your haunting, that’s like calling actors who play cops instead of the police.”
“There’s no device that can measure what we don’t understand — and we don’t understand consciousness yet.”
“We’re measuring the wake, not the boat.”
“The paranormal field isn’t broken because of lack of evidence — it’s broken because of lack of integrity.”
“Inside the mystery might be the greatest scientific discovery we’ve ever ignored
