Saved by an Angel or Saved By Science?

What do a male American astronaut who set a record for time spent on the Russian Mir space station, a female deep sea blue hole diver, and the last 9/11 survivor to escape from the South Tower of the World Trade Center alive have in common?

If you answered that all 3 exhibited the human knack of facing deprivation and possible death with an unseen presence pointing the path to survival you would be right. Of course, such tales create another huge question - should that survival be attributed to divine intervention (possibly in the form of a guardian angel) or is it proof of yet another of the brain's amazing powers.

Today, The National Geographic Museum showcased a 2011 documentary The Angel Effect which explored reports of survivors who have reported being guided to safety by a mysterious presence.

The documentary was based on the book The Third Man Factor, written  John Geiger, editor of The Toronto Globe and Mail and the youngest head of the Canadian Geographic Society in its history.

After the screening, the audience was able to direct questions to Geiger through a phone conference.
Geiger said he first became intrigued with the idea of mysterious intervention after reading such accounts by famed early 20th Century Antarctic explorer Sir Lynn Shackleford, as well as a personal minor example of the phenomenon he experienced during one of his own Arctic expeditions.

One of the central stories in both the book and the film was that of 9/11 survivor Ron DiFrancesco. DiFrancesco says that a calming voice guided him through stairwell flames and lethal debris to safety 84 floors before.

But where does such a voice come from? Although both the book and film grapple with that issue and outline the ongoing efforts of scientists to resolve it, the true answer remains elusive. Those who favor the scientific theory speculate that somehow in times of great stress the right brain may assume dominance over the left side, allowing us to use normally untapped powers which let us to survive. For the more religious, like DiFrancesco, who only truly realized he had survived the 9/11 tragedy after awakening from 3 days in a coma-like state, putting faith in the miracles of God is sufficient.

But,  after all his years of research, where does Geiger stand?

"Like adrenaline, I believe it is part of our equipment as human beings to do extraordinary things," Geiger said. "But that doesn't mean God didn't put the mechanism in our brain in the first place."

Tales, Tidbits, and Traveling Tips:
If you find yourself in DC on a Tuesday with free time between noon and 1, The National Geographic offers a free film (and often post film discussion) every Tuesday. Upcoming features include a series of Dia de Muertos films and Mysterious Science: The Truth Behind Bigfoot.