Philip S Callahan: Difference between revisions

Philip S. Callahan
Philip S. Callahan
Born	August 29, 1923; Fort Benning, Georgia, United States
Died	November 30, 2017; Edgewood, New Mexico, United States
Nationality	American
Alma mater	University of Arkansas, Kansas State University
Known for	Insect infrared communication, Paramagnetism in agriculture
	Scientific career
Fields	Entomologist, Ornithologist, Biophysics

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Revision as of 09:07, 17 July 2026

Philip Serna Callahan (August 29, 1923 – November 30, 2017) was an American entomologist, ornithologist, and biophysicist. A career researcher with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a professor on the graduate faculty of the University of Florida, he is known for his research into the use of nonlinear far-infrared radiation by biological systems, his theories of insect communication based on the antenna and waveguide characteristics of insect spines, and his later writings on paramagnetism in agriculture and the Irish round towers.

Biography

Callahan was born on August 29, 1923, at Fort Benning, Georgia. He entered the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942 and served during World War II as a radio communication specialist, operating a classified radio-range station in Northern Ireland. After the war he traveled widely, working for a time as a freelance photographer and writer.

He attended Fordham University and later received his B.A. and M.S. degrees from the University of Arkansas and his Ph.D. from Kansas State University. Callahan served as an assistant and then associate professor in the Entomology Department at Louisiana State University, and was a professor of entomology on the graduate faculty of the University of Georgia. He joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Project Leader for Insect Biophysics at the Southern Grain Insects Research Laboratory in Tifton, Georgia. In 1969 he transferred to the USDA Insect Attractants, Behavior and Basic Research Laboratory in Gainesville, Florida, and served as a full professor on the graduate faculty of the University of Florida. After retiring from the USDA in 1986, he worked for a time with the Olive W. Garvey Center for the Improvement of Human Functioning in Wichita, Kansas, as an infrared systems and low-energy consultant. He was a member of the Explorers Club and, over his career, an author, inventor, photographer, and artist.

Callahan died on November 30, 2017, in Edgewood, New Mexico, at the age of 94.

Scientific contributions

Callahan's research centered on the utilization of nonlinear far-infrared radiation by biological systems and its potential applications to insect control. He developed theories of insect communication based on the waveguide characteristics of insect spines, proposing that such spines act as dielectric waveguide aerials capable of receiving short-wavelength infrared and microwave frequencies emitted by scent molecules. He described this line of work as the study of insect molecular bioelectronics.

In his later books, Callahan extended the concept of paramagnetism to agriculture, arguing that paramagnetic soils and rock materials influence plant growth. He also applied these ideas to the round towers of medieval Ireland, proposing in Ancient Mysteries, Modern Visions that the towers, built largely of paramagnetic stone, functioned as antenna-like resonant structures. These agricultural and archaeological interpretations lie outside the scientific mainstream.

Callahan was the author of more than 100 scientific papers and numerous books, including My Search for Traces of God, A Walk in the Sun, Nature's Silent Music, Ancient Mysteries, Modern Visions, Tuning in to Nature, and Paramagnetism.

Honors

USDA Superior Service Award (1966)
Sigma Xi distinguished research award, University of Georgia
Sears Roebuck Foundation Award

Abstracts

1997 - "Sinewaves of Spacetime"

Books

1995 / 1998 - "Paramagnetism: Rediscovering Nature's Secret Force of Growth" (Read in full)

External links

Philip Serna Callahan obituary

@@ Line 4: / Line 4: @@
 | alt = Philip S. Callahan
 | birth_date = {{birth date|1923|08|29|mf=y}}
-| fields = [[Entomologist]], [[Ornithologist]], [[Philosopher]]
+| birth_place = Fort Benning, Georgia, United States
-| residence = Wichita, KS, United States
+| death_date = {{death date|2017|11|30|mf=y}}
-| nationality = USA
+| death_place = Edgewood, New Mexico, United States
-| known_for = [[Paramagnetism]]
+| nationality = American
+| fields = [[Entomologist]], [[Ornithologist]], Biophysics
+| alma_mater = University of Arkansas, Kansas State University
+| known_for = Insect infrared communication, [[Paramagnetism]] in agriculture
 }}
-Dr. Philip S. Callahan is a philosopher as well as a top-grade scientist. An internationally famous entomologist and ornithologist, he has been responsible for breakthrough discoveries in both areas. He is also an explorer who has walked across mainland China and the Syrian Desert, observing the intricate ways of man and nature wherever he went.   He entered the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942, and served two years in the European Theater of Operations during World War II. Hiking around the world after he war, he worked as a freelance photographer and writer. Later, he attended Fordham University and received his B.A. and M.S. degrees from the University of Arkansas and his Ph.D. from Kansas State University. He served as assistant professor of the Entomology Department at Louisiana State University and later joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Southern Grain Insects Research Laboratory as Project Leader for Insect Biophysics. He was also Professor of Entomology on the graduate faculty of the University of Georgia. In 1969 he transferred to USDA Insect Attractant and Behavior Laboratory at Gainesville, Florida. Callahan served as a full professor on the graduate faculty of the University of Florida, and on the staff of The Olive W. Garvey Center for the Improvement of Human Functioning, Inc. as an infrared systems and low energy consultant.
+'''Philip Serna Callahan''' (August 29, 1923 – November 30, 2017) was an American [[Entomologist|entomologist]], [[Ornithologist|ornithologist]], and biophysicist. A career researcher with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and a professor on the graduate faculty of the University of Florida, he is known for his research into the use of nonlinear far-infrared radiation by biological systems, his theories of insect communication based on the antenna and waveguide characteristics of insect spines, and his later writings on [[Paramagnetism|paramagnetism]] in agriculture and the Irish round towers.
-His research involved the utilization of nonlinear far infrared radiation by biological systems and its applications to insect control and medicine. He has developed theories of insect communication based on the waveguide characteristics of insect spines and has postulated that such spines are thermoelectret-coated dielectric waveguide aerials with the ability to receive short wavelength IR and microwave frequencies. His work in biophysics might best be called studies in insect molecular bioelectronics.
+==Biography==
-He is the author of more than 100 scientific papers and numerous books, including: My Search for Traces of God; A Walk in the Sun; Nature's Silent Music; Ancient Mysteries, Modern Visions; Tuning in to Nature; and, Paramagnetism. - <em>Amazon</em>
+Callahan was born on August 29, 1923, at Fort Benning, Georgia. He entered the U.S. Army Air Force in 1942 and served during World War II as a radio communication specialist, operating a classified radio-range station in Northern Ireland. After the war he traveled widely, working for a time as a freelance photographer and writer.
+He attended Fordham University and later received his B.A. and M.S. degrees from the University of Arkansas and his Ph.D. from Kansas State University. Callahan served as an assistant and then associate professor in the Entomology Department at Louisiana State University, and was a professor of entomology on the graduate faculty of the University of Georgia. He joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture as Project Leader for Insect Biophysics at the Southern Grain Insects Research Laboratory in Tifton, Georgia. In 1969 he transferred to the USDA Insect Attractants, Behavior and Basic Research Laboratory in Gainesville, Florida, and served as a full professor on the graduate faculty of the University of Florida. After retiring from the USDA in 1986, he worked for a time with the Olive W. Garvey Center for the Improvement of Human Functioning in Wichita, Kansas, as an infrared systems and low-energy consultant. He was a member of the Explorers Club and, over his career, an author, inventor, photographer, and artist.
+Callahan died on November 30, 2017, in Edgewood, New Mexico, at the age of 94.
+==Scientific contributions==
+Callahan's research centered on the utilization of nonlinear far-infrared radiation by biological systems and its potential applications to insect control. He developed theories of insect communication based on the waveguide characteristics of insect spines, proposing that such spines act as dielectric waveguide aerials capable of receiving short-wavelength infrared and microwave frequencies emitted by scent molecules. He described this line of work as the study of insect molecular bioelectronics.
+In his later books, Callahan extended the concept of [[Paramagnetism|paramagnetism]] to agriculture, arguing that paramagnetic soils and rock materials influence plant growth. He also applied these ideas to the round towers of medieval Ireland, proposing in ''Ancient Mysteries, Modern Visions'' that the towers, built largely of paramagnetic stone, functioned as antenna-like resonant structures. These agricultural and archaeological interpretations lie outside the scientific mainstream.
+Callahan was the author of more than 100 scientific papers and numerous books, including ''My Search for Traces of God'', ''A Walk in the Sun'', ''Nature's Silent Music'', ''Ancient Mysteries, Modern Visions'', ''Tuning in to Nature'', and ''Paramagnetism''.
+==Honors==
+* USDA Superior Service Award (1966)
+* Sigma Xi distinguished research award, University of Georgia
+* Sears Roebuck Foundation Award
 ==Abstracts==
 * 1997 - "[[Sinewaves of Spacetime]]"
 ==Books==
 * 1995 / 1998 - "[[Paramagnetism: Rediscovering Nature's Secret Force of Growth]]" ([http://www.amazon.com/Paramagnetism-Rediscovering-Natures-Secret-Growth/dp/0911311491/ref=pd_sim_b_2 Read in full])
+==External links==
+* [https://www.frenchfunerals.com/obituaries/philip-callahan Philip Serna Callahan obituary]
 [[Category:Scientist|Callahan Philip]]