Jacques Benveniste
Jacques Benveniste (French:
In 1988, Benveniste and colleagues
Early career
He qualified as a physician in 1960 and practised medicine in Paris before taking a research job in cancer at the Scripps Clinic in California. He returned to France in 1980, becoming the head of allergy and inflammation immunology at the French biomedical research agency
Platelet-activating factor
Platelet-activating factor was discovered by Benveniste in the early 1970s.[5][6] PAF was the first phospholipid known to have messenger functions. Benveniste made significant contributions in the role and characteristics of PAF and its importance in inflammatory response and mediation. Using lab rats and mice, he found that ionophore A23187 (a mobile ion carrier that allows the passage of Mn2+, Ca2+ and Mg2+ and has antibiotic properties against bacteria and fungi) caused the release of PAF. These developments led to the finding that macrophages produce PAF and that macrophages play an important function in aggregation of platelets and liberation of their inflammatory and vasoactive substances.
Benveniste affair
A member of Benveniste's staff put a homoeopathically diluted remedy through his allergy test, returning a positive result. Benveniste began experimenting and in 1988 published a paper in the prestigious scientific journal Nature describing the action of very high dilutions of anti-IgE antibody on the degranulation of human basophils.[3] Only molecules of water, and no molecules of the original antibody, remained in these high dilutions. Benveniste concluded that the configuration of molecules in water was biologically active; a journalist coined the term water memory for this hypothesis. Nature printed an editorial titled "When to believe the unbelievable" in the same issue of the journal and attached the following disclaimer to the article: "Editorial reservation: Readers of this article may share the incredulity of the many referees. ... There is no physical basis for such an activity. ... Nature has therefore arranged for independent investigators to observe repetitions of the experiments." The last time such a disclaimer had been added was in 1974 to an article on Uri Geller.[3]
A week after publication of the article, Nature sent a team of three investigators to Benveniste's lab to attempt to replicate his results under controlled conditions. The team consisted of Nature editor and physicist Sir
On 3 September 1988,
Josephson challenged the American Physical Society (APS) to oversee a replication by Benveniste. This challenge was to be "a randomized double-blind test", of his claimed ability to transfer the characteristics of homeopathically altered solutions over the Internet.[18] The APS accepted the challenge and offered to cover the costs of the test. When he heard of this, Randi offered to throw in the long-standing $1 million prize for any positive demonstration of the paranormal, to which Benveniste replied: "Fine to us."[19] in his DigiBio NewsLetter. Randi later noted that Benveniste and Josephson did not follow up on their challenge, mocking their silence on the topic as if they were missing persons.[20]
Focus on the study was reignited in 2004 when an article was published in
Digital Biology
In the nineties, Benveniste also asserted that water memory could be digitized, transmitted, and reinserted into another sample of water, which would then contain the same active qualities as the first sample. In 1997, he founded the company DigiBio to "develop and commercialise applications of Digital Biology." With the support of Josephson, the experiments continued, culminating in a 1997 paper claiming a water memory effect could be transmitted over phone lines.[15] Two additional papers were published, one in 1999[16] and another in 2000.[17]
Intrigued by Benveniste's claims that biological interactions could be digitized, the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) asked
Awards
Benveniste has been awarded two Ig Nobel Prizes in Chemistry. They are a parody of the Nobel Prizes. The first in 1991 describes Jacques Benveniste as a "prolific proselytizer and dedicated correspondent of Nature, for his persistent belief that water, H2O, is an intelligent liquid, and for demonstrating to his satisfaction that water is able to remember events long after all trace of those events has vanished." The second in 1998 cites "his homeopathic discovery that not only does water have memory, but that the information can be transmitted over telephone lines and the Internet."[24] He was the first person, and is now one of nine people, to have won the award twice.
Notes
- ^ Warnant, Léon (1968). Dictionnaire de la prononciation française (in French) (3 ed.). Gembloux: Duculot. p. 443.
- S2CID 12992106.
- ^ PMC 534457.
- PMID 2739750.
- PMID 4118412.
- S2CID 4180118.
- ^ Bibcode:1992AmSci..80...54R.
- ^ S2CID 9579433.
- S2CID 32110713.
- ^ "Experiments past and future: Hirst et al. , the Burridge report, Ovelgônne et al. , the BBC Horizon "scientific experiment" and more ..." Some remarks on the Memory of Water Controversy. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
- ^ Poitevin, B. "ÉTUDE CRITIQUE ET PROJETS D'AVENIR". Archived from the original on 2004-12-09.
- ^ 'Diary', New Statesman, 9 September 1988
- Eric Fottorino, Le Monde2004-10-06.
- ^ Josephson, Brian (1997-11-01). "Molecule Memories". New Scientist Planet Science. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
- ^ .
- ^ a b Benveniste, J.; Aissa, J.; Guillonnet, D. "The molecular signal is not functional in the absence of "informed water"". FASEB Journal. 13 (A163).
- ^ PMID 10790721.
- ISSN 0040-781X. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
- ^ Benveniste, Jacques; Guillonnet, Didier (1999). "NewsLetter 1999.2". Archived from the original on 2001-04-15. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
- ^ Randi, James (2001-01-26). "Computer problems, a Nobel Laureate reneges, more magnetic shoes, the metric system, and ..." Retrieved 2023-05-23.
- ^ Milgrom, Lionel (2001-03-15). "Thanks for the memory". The Guardian. Retrieved 2023-05-23.
- ^ Enserink, Martin (2014-09-23). "UNESCO to host meeting on controversial 'memory of water' research". Science | AAAS. Retrieved 2021-05-01.
- ^ S2CID 23116745. — this paper includes an excellent references list.
- ^ Benveniste, J.; P. Jurgens; W. Hsueh; J. Aissa (1997). "Transatlantic Transfer of Digitized Antigen Signal by Telephone Link". Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. 99 (1, pt 2): S175. Archived from the original on 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
References
- BBC Horizon (2002) Homeopathy: The Test, first broadcast November 26, 2002. Summary and transcript. Rebroadcast on ABC Catalyst in 2003.[1]
- Belon, P.; Cumps, J.; Ennis, M.; Mannaioni, P. F.; Sainte-Laudy, J.; Roberfroid, M.; a. c. Wiegant, F. (1999). "Inhibition of human basophil degranulation by successive histamine dilutions: Results of a European multi-centre trial". Inflammation Research. 48: 17–18. S2CID 11803836.
- Burridge, Jim (1992) "A Repeat of the 'Benveniste' Experiment: Statistical Analysis", Research Report 100, Department of Statistical Science, University College London, England. (early version of Hirst et al.)
- Chaplin, Martin (2000–2006) "Water Structure and Behavior London South Bank University
- Davenas, E.; Beauvais, F.; Arnara, J.; Oberbaum, M.; Robinzon, B.; Miadonna, A.; Tedeschi, A.; Pomeranz, B.; Fortner, P.; Belon, P.; Sainte-Laudy, J.; Poitevin, B.; Benveniste, J. (1988). "Human basophil degranulation triggered by very dilute antiserum against IgE". Nature. 333 (6176): 816–18. S2CID 12992106.
- Fisher, Peter (1999). "The End of the Benveniste Affair?". British Homoeopathic Journal. 88 (4): 186–7. PMID 10582651. Archived from the originalon 2005-12-24. Retrieved 2005-11-23.
- Fottorino, Eric (1997) Le Monde, January 21, 22 & 23, 1997.
- Hammer, M.; Jonas, W. (2004). "Managing Social Conflict in CAM Research: The Case of Antineoplastons". Integr. Cancer Therapy. 3 (1): 59–65. PMID 15035877.
- Hirst, S.J.; Hayes, N.A.; Burridge, J.; Pearce, F.L.; Foreman, J.C. (1993). "Human basophil degranulation is not triggered by very dilute antiserum against human IgE". Nature. 366 (6455): 525–7. S2CID 4314547.
- Ives, John (2002) "Evaluating Unusual Claims and Devices Using a Team Approach: A Case Study", Subtle Energies & Energy Medicine, 13(1):39-59, based on Dr. Ives Keynote Address made at the Twelfth Annual ISSSEEM Conference The Co-Creation Process in Energy Medicine: A Synergy of the Sciences and the Healing Arts, June 14–19, 2002. Abstract, Full text
- Jonas, W. B.; Ives, J. A.; Rollwagen, F.; Denman, D. W.; Hintz, K.; Hammer, M.; Crawford; Henry, K. (2006). "Can Specific Biological Signals be Digitized?". FASEB J. 20 (1): 23–28. S2CID 23116745.
- Jonas, W. B. & J. Jacobs (1996) Healing with Homeopathy, Warner.
- Lignon, Yves (1999) "L’Homéopathie et la mémoire de l’eau", Les dossiers scientifiques de l'étrange, Chapter 21, Michel Lafon Publishing.
- Maddox, John (1988). "Waves caused by extreme dilution". Nature. 335 (6193): 760–3. S2CID 2148267.
- Maddox, John (1988). "When to believe the unbelievable". Nature. 333 (6176): 787. doi:10.1038/333787a0.
- Milgrom, Lionel (1999) "The memory of molecules", The Independent, March 19. Full text
- Ovelgonne, J.H.; Bol, A.W.; Hop, W.C.; Van Wijk, R (1992). "Mechanical agitation of very dilute antiserum against IgE has no effect on basophil straining properties". Experientia. 48 (5): 504–8. S2CID 32110713.
- Park, Bob (1999) "The Challenge: Homeopathy Via the Internet", What's New, May 14. Full text (source 1)(2) Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine
- Park, Bob (1997) "Alternative Medicine and the Laws of Physics", Skeptical Inquirer, 9/1/1997.Full text[permanent dead link]
- Randi, James. Commentary. January 26, 2001 "a Nobel Laureate reneges"[2]. September 5, 2003 "Benveniste and Josephson on Abandoning Science"[3].
- Targ, Russel; Puthoff, Harold (1974). "Information transfer under conditions of sensory shielding". Nature. 251 (5476): 602–7. S2CID 4152651.
- Thomas, Y.; Schiff, M.; Belkadi, L.; Jurgens, P.; Kahhak, L.; Benveniste, J. (2000). "Activation of Human Eurtrophils by Electronically Transmitted Phorbol-Myristate Acetate". Medical Hypotheses. 54 (1): 33–39. PMID 10790721.
- Schiff, Michel. The Memory of Water: Homoeopathy and the Battle of Ideas in the New Science (Thorsons, 1995)
- Vithoulkas, George (2003) The controversy with the BBC program Horizon. Full text
- Walker, Martin (1993) "Dr Jacques Benveniste: The Case of the Missing Energy", Chapter in Dirty Medicine, Slingshot Publications, London. Chapter full text (source 1) Archived 2006-01-08 at the Wayback Machine (2) Archived 2007-12-10 at the Wayback Machine
Bibliography
- Benveniste, Jacques (2005) Ma vérité sur la 'mémoire de l'eau', Albin Michel. ISBN 2-226-15877-4
- Benveniste, Jacques, and Peter Jurgens. On the Role of Stage Magicians in Biological Research The Anomalist 1998
- Benveniste, Jacques. Electromagnetically Activated Water and the Puzzle of the Biological Signal INSERM Digital Biology Laboratory (March 10., 1999)
- Benveniste, Jacques. "Put a match to pyre review" Nature 396 Dec 10 1998
- Benveniste, Jacques. "Further Biological Effects Induced by Ultra High Dilutions: Inhibition by a Magnetic Field", In P.C. Endler, ed.,Ultra High Dilution: Physiology and Physics. Dordrecht: Kluwe academic, 1994
- Benveniste, Jacques, "Transfer of Biological Activity by Electromagnetic Fields." Frontier Perspectives 3(2) 1993:113-15.
- Benveniste, Jacques (1993). "Molecular signaling at high dilution or by means of electronic circuitry". Journal of Immunology. 150: 146A.
- Benveniste, Jacques (1994). "Transfer of the molecular signal by electronic amplification". FASEB Journal. 8: A398.
- Benveniste, Jacques (1995). "Electronic transmission of the cholinergic signal". FASEB Journal. 9: A683.
- Benveniste, Jacques (1995). "Direct transmission to cells of a molecular signal via an electronic device". FASEB Journal. 9: A227.
- Benveniste, J.; Ducot, B.; Spira, A. (1994). "Memory of water revisited". Nature. 370 (6488): 322. PMID 8047128.
- Benveniste, J., Davenas, E. & A. Spira (1991) Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, January.
External links
- Association Jacques Benveniste pour la Recherche (in French), including an obituary (in English)
- Obituary from the Guardian, 2004
- Obituary, British Medical Journal, 27 November 2004