Dowsing rods

Dowsing rods are typically L-shaped metal or wooden sticks used in a practice called dowsing, which is often employed to locate underground water, minerals, or even lost objects. Practitioners, known as dowsers, hold the rods lightly; as they walk over an area, the rods may cross or move in response to subtle environmental changes. While some believe dowsing is an intuitive skill, scientific studies generally regard it as lacking empirical support, attributing any successes to chance or the ideomotor effect, where subconscious movements influence the rods' behavior. Dowsing remains a topic of debate regarding its effectiveness and validity.