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ENTANGLEDENTANGLED MIND FIELDS

Entanglement: The quantum theory that, under certain circumstances, particles that appear to be isolated are actually instantaneously connected through space and time. Mind Fields

In the future, it [will be] deemed a great oddity that 20th-century scientists FIELDS MIND had discovered elementary physical particles but had failed even to consider the possibility of elementary psychic factors. – KURT GÖDEL

• In physics, the idea of entanglement—the quantum theory prediction that under certain circumstances MINDS particles that appear to be isolated are actually instantaneously connected through space and time— is not only known to be demonstrably real, but is far A restlessness is brewing in .Unexpected discoveries more pervasive and robust than anyone had imagined in many scientific disciplines are shaking previously held even a few years ago. Devising new forms of entangle- assumptions. One commonality among these discoveries ment has become a central focus in the accelerating race is that observations once believed to be meaningless,or mere towards developing practical quantum computers. anomalies, are being reconsidered. In the process, new revelations are surfacing about the of reality. A When science begins to churn with unexpected few examples will serve to illustrate the rising tension: developments and tolerance for new ideas, breakthroughs are often lurking over the horizon.The consequences of • Cosmologists have learned that we might have such revolutions are not fully appreciated until long after accidentally overlooked 96% of the universe. The they’ve occurred, but one thing is certain: Just as modern missing preponderance of the universe is dubbed “dark” science propelled the world into the nuclear, information, matter and ,and we know next to nothing about it. and genetic engineering ages, the pregnant postmodern • Neuroscience dogma used to assert that neurons in era is likely to introduce radical changes in everything— the brain do not regenerate,and that mental functioning from our daily lives to the dynamics of global society.One inevitably deteriorates when there is a brain injury or topic likely to change is science and society’s view of the as neurons die in the course of aging. Now, new , that uncertain realm just beyond the reach of data are revealing that brain neurons do, in fact, science but perpetually alive within our experience. regenerate. The brain is much more plastic than One element of the paranormal—which I will refer previously imagined. to as entangled minds—is, I believe, on the threshold of • In the borderlands between physics and chemistry, transforming from paranormal to normal. I envision that researchers are re-examining claims of after the process may go something like this: 15 years in the deep freeze. Successful replications The growing pressure to develop workable quantum from laboratories around the world continue to suggest computers is rapidly expanding our ability to create ever that unexpected effects, possibly nuclear fusion, really more robust forms of entanglement in increasingly complex do occur in supposedly impossible ways. Have the systems, for longer lifetimes, and at room temperature. prejudices of hot fusion researchers, who have spent Existing techniques like “entanglement purification” and billions of dollars in a still-vain attempt to build “coherence repeaters” will be further enhanced, and our controllable fusion reactors, deflected attention from understanding of what entanglement means and how to this anomaly? use it will advance rapidly. ➣

SHIFT: AT THE FRONTIERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS DECEMBER 2004–FEBRUARY 2005 11 Someone will ask, “I wonder what it would feel like when my brain is entangled with the outside world? Are mind fields bioentangled with the rest of the universe?

First, pairs of photons, and then photon-atom pairs, An enterprising investigator will take up the challenge and then atoms will be successfully entangled in the lab. and conduct an experiment to see if stimulating the And then triplets, quartets, and ensembles of atoms.And brain/mind of an identical twin results in a corresponding then macroscopic systems. Pairs of entangled photons will response in the electroencephalograph (EEG) of a distant be shot through metal sheets and remain entangled after twin’s brain/mind. The postulated “EEG correlation” they punch through to the other side. Photons will experiment will work, and it will be widely hailed as a MIND FIELDS remain entangled after being transmitted through miles scientific breakthrough. of open atmosphere. New forms of entanglement and Then someone will ask,“I wonder what it would feel robust, long-lived quantum coherence will be discovered. like when my brain is entangled with the outside world? And then it will be proposed, and confirmed, that certain Are mind fields bioentangled with the rest of the forms of entanglement extend to virtually everything in universe?” The answer will be yes, and at this point the universe, since, as far as we know,everything emerged , clairvoyance, and the entire panoply of psi entangled out of a single, primordial Big Bang.This grand phenomena will be rediscovered for the umpteenth time. entanglement is nonlocal, extending throughout time and But this time, and for the first time, it will be accompanied space, suggesting that, despite everyday appearances, we by a widely accepted theoretical foundation. live in a deeply holistic reality. Researchers will discover that under certain conditions, A Fantastic Scenario living cells also exhibit properties associated with quantum entanglement. Then the idea of bioentanglement will How long might we have to wait before this fanciful emerge, a concept that is more general than today’s “bioentangled brains” experiment is conducted? The special cases of entanglement involving inanimate answer is no time at all. The proposed studies have been particles and photons. performed at least a dozen times over the past 40 years. After scientists become used to the remarkably And they work. coordinated dances observed among entangled bio- One of the first such experiments linking psi with molecules and living cells, someone will get a bright idea entanglement was published in 1965 in Science.That study and ask,“I wonder what would happen if two brains were reported that the EEGs of pairs of separated identical entangled? Would they show correlated behavior at a twins (two such pairs out of 15 tested) showed striking distance, just like other forms of bioentanglement? And correspondences.When one twin was instructed to close is it possible that minds and brains are complementary, his or her eyes, causing the brain’s alpha rhythms to like particles and waves, and that there are interpenetrating increase, the distant twin’s alpha rhythms were also found mind fields?” to increase. ➣

12 SHIFT: AT THE FRONTIERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS DECEMBER 2004–FEBRUARY 2005 SHIFTING OPINIONS FIELDS MIND

Are there any indications that woman and her parrot. “Billions of perfectly rational people believe that they have had these the concept of “entangled minds” is preparing to experiences,”he said . . .Wolpert countered that escape the purgatory of the paranormal? Given telepathy was “pathological science,”based on tiny, that scientific advancements depend not only on unrepeatable effects backed up by fantastic theories scientists’ interests, but on how sociologically and an ad hoc response to criticism.“The blunt fact acceptable a given topic is, one affirmative sign is is that there’s no persuasive evidence for it,”he said. what editors consider to be newsworthy in leading journals and newspapers. Consider this news item Wolpert then provided the rationale for why he published on January 22, 2004, in Nature, one of the feels justified in rejecting any positive evidence for premier voices of mainstream science and an telepathy, by stating,“An open mind is a very bad interminable critic of all things paranormal. The thing—everything falls out.” This may be an article was entitled,“Telepathy debate hits London: acceptable strategy for maintaining one’s religious Audience charmed by the paranormal.” It began, faith, but such prejudice seems anathema to science. The audience saw through Wolpert, accusing Scientists tend to steer clear of public debates him of “not knowing the evidence” and being “un- with advocates of the paranormal. And judging scientific.” In essence, Wolpert was attempting to from the response of a London audience to a rare argue his case through intimidation and repetition, example of such a head-to-head conflict last week, rather than reason. Such strong opinions are not they are wise to do so. uncommon within the scientific community, and sometimes prejudices are based upon a kernel of truth. The debate was between Professor Lewis There is little doubt that many claims of miraculous Wolpert, a developmental biologist at University health cures, flawless psychic predictions, and extra- College London, who argued against the existence terrestrials living among us are naïve or motivated of telepathy, and biologist Dr , nonsense. But this does not mean that all unexpected well-known for his theory of morphogenetic fields phenomena, especially those reported for millennia (see page 27). Sheldrake argued the case for by sober, thoughtful observers, are equally false. telepathy.The Nature news article reported that Many similar snippets are starting to appear in most of the 200-strong audience agreed that academic journals and popular magazines, suggesting Sheldrake won the debate: that the entangled minds scenario I’ve proposed is already proceeding. In due time, the zeitgeist will [Sheldrake] presented the results of tests of , together with his own become emboldened as theory and experiments continue research on whether people know who is going to converge.Then one day a sociological phase shift to phone or e-mail them, on whether dogs know will occur and past prejudices will dissolve, seemingly when their owners are coming home, and on the overnight (but only in hindsight). On that day,a new allegedly telepathic bond between a New York understanding of who and what we are may dawn.

SHIFT: AT THE FRONTIERS OF CONSCIOUSNESS DECEMBER 2004–FEBRUARY 2005 13 MIND FIELDS 14 up withthephenomenology. paranormal languishing inthescientificoutbackalongwithother they’vehave beenpublished forover justbeen acentury; aspectsofmindfields various exploring experiments Literallythousands ofotherlaboratory evidential iceberg. were experiments thetip of the neuroscience-oriented scientistswillrediscover thatthosequantum settles down, in2003). IONSlaboratory the around theworldobserved inlaboratories (includingin reminiscent of correlations sophisticated w Wackermann particular research [is]prosaically demure.There are undoubtedly Jirí Wackermann concludedthat “the present stateof the mind-matter dev scholarly journal wasexperiments pub areview ofthisclass In2004, is notnecessary. continue tobereported, oa,nal ordcdsltr positive results Today, nearlyfourdecadeslater, After alltheexcitementover bioentangledminds indications ofprogress.” Inlessrestrained terms, ess patiently waiting forsciencetocatch beasts, xeietlmtosaddsgs EEG methodsanddesigns, experimental HF:A H RNIR FCNCOSESDECEMBER2004–FEBRUARY 2005 ATTHEFRONTIERS OFCONSCIOUSNESS SHIFT: of theparanormal—which Iwill as saying thateven withincreasingly neato rbe.Psychophysiologist interaction problem. refer to as oted to interdisciplinary researchoted tointerdisciplinary on lished in and theuseofidenticaltwins bioentanglement continue tobe I believe oneelement is onthethreshold of Mind andMatter, transforming from paranormal to a new entangled minds normal. boringly normal. boringly as uncommonsensibilityinwhichpsiisregarded a new, Iexpectthatcommonsensemay evolve concepts, Butasmore peopleare exposedtothese a senseofunity. more oftenreinforcesexperience asenseofisolationthan reality with theideathatwe live withinaprofoundly holistic Comingtogrips time-space anomaliespresented by psi. ofphysical the reality supported question thatthefabric there was nolongerany nonlocality inthe1980s, ofquantum verifications After theinitialexperimental spinning wildlyandisnow pointinginapromising direction. compasshasstopped the needleonourexplanatory a rationalframework least, forpsimay betakingshape.At uhmr cetfcwr ean,but IbelieveMuch more that scientificwork remains, still remains achallengegiven thatourdaily DEAN RADIN soito,andisSeniorScientistatIONS. Association, AAAS- the the president-elect of Dr Radiniscurrently book, the forthcoming the authorof Heis engineering. an MSdegreeinelectrical The ConsciousUniverse, affiliated Parapsychological has a PhD in psychology and has aPhDinpsychology — Entangled Minds. into and