Does anyone recall the tale of the 19th century scientist whose photographic plates were fogged while stored in a drawer near some lumps of ore?

He solved the problem by storing his plates somewhere else. I don't think he's the famous one.

(references please, if you know this story) .

Anyhow, science has emerged from a long history of Strange Things Happening, with the scientists we remember being the ones who followed their curiosity to a successful conclusion, rapidly followed by the Practical Folk who Make Useful Things.

So it's hardly a surprise that there's something of a hankering for The Good Old Days, when Unexplained Phenomena would lead to a Scientific Breakthrough that doesn't require a budget like CERN's.

I think that's why Cold Fusion caught the popular imagination the way it did: the prospect of unlimited energy whipped up with nothing more than you'd find in a high school lab or hotel kitchen.

Despite "Ghostbusters", we have as yet no practical applications of what's loosely termed "The Paranormal". Oh, wait a moment: Tibetan Prayer Wheels. Wikipedia shows there are even water-powered ones. Wonderful, time-saving devices.