# Water water rvery where, and the dowsing rods still don't twitch

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-water-rvery-where-and-the-dowsing-rods-still-dont-twitch/526431>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [January 25, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-water-rvery-where-and-the-dowsing-rods-still-dont-twitch/526431 "2010-01-25T22:30:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\
**Post date:** [January 25, 2010, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/water-water-rvery-where-and-the-dowsing-rods-still-dont-twitch/526431/1 "2010-01-25T22:30:32Z")

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Cecil’s column on [dowsing](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/159/does-dowsing-for-water-really-work) has provoked many threads, most recently [this one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=531605). Dopers, however, aren’t the only folk interested in unorthodox detection methods. Most recently, the Iraqui Government spent [$85 million on a pair of twigs](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/newsnight/8471187.stm)

> [@](#):
>
> There are no batteries and it consists of a swivelling aerial mounted to a hinge on a hand-grip. Critics have likened it to a glorified dowsing rod. [The designer] claims that in ideal conditions you can detect explosives from a range of up to 1km. The training manual for the device says it can even, with the right card, detect elephants, humans and 100 dollar bills.
> 
> Newsnight obtained a set of cards for the ADE-651 and took them to Cambridge University’s Computer Laboratory where Dr Markus Kuhn dissected a card supposed to detect TNT.It contained nothing but the type of anti-theft tag used to prevent stealing in high street stores.

I guess there really is one born every minute. :rolleyes: