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msswv123
Joined: 17 Jan 2001
Posts: 123
Location: Gastonia,NC USA |
 Thu May 16, 2002 5:24 pm
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Electric thoughts coming at ya...blessings ms
Fair use cited:
Our Mind Electric?
14 May 2002
Are our thoughts made of electricity? Not the familiar kind of electrical signals that travel up and down wires in our computer or nerves in our brain, but the distributed kind of electromagnetic field that permeates space and carries the broadcast signal to the TV or radio.
Professor Johnjoe McFadden from the School of Biomedical and Life Sciences at the University of Surrey believes our conscious mind could be an electromagnetic field. “The theory solves many previously intractable problems of consciousness and could have profound implications for our concepts of mind, free will, spirituality, the design of artificial intelligence, and even life and death,” he said.
Most people consider ‘mind’ to be all the conscious things that we are aware of. But much, if not most, mental activity goes on without awareness. Actions like walking, changing gear in your car or peddling a bicycle can become as automatic as breathing. The biggest puzzle in neuroscience is how the brain activity that we’re aware of (consciousness) differs from the brain activity driving all of those unconscious actions.
When we see an object, signals from our retina travel along nerves as waves of electrically charged ions. When they reach the nerve terminus the signal jumps to the next nerve via chemical neurotransmitters. The receiving nerve decides whether or not it will fire, based on the number of firing votes it receives from its upstream nerves. In this way, electrical signals are processed in our brain before being transmitted to our body. But where in all this movement of ions and chemicals, is consciousness? Scientists can find no region or structure in the brain that specialises in conscious thinking. Consciousness remains a mystery.
“Consciousness is what makes us ‘human’, Professor McFadden said. “Language, creativity, emotions, spirituality, logical deduction, mental arithmetic, our sense of fairness, truth, ethics, are all inconceivable without consciousness.” But what’s it made of?
One of the fundamental questions of consciousness, known as the binding problem, can be explained by looking at a tree. Most people when asked how many leaves they see will answer ‘thousands’. But neurobiology tells us that the information (all the leaves) is dissected and scattered amongst millions of widely separated neurones. Scientists are trying to explain where in the brain all those leaves are stuck together to form the conscious impression of a whole tree. How does our brain bind information to generate consciousness?
What Professor McFadden realised was that every time a nerve fires, the electrical activity sends a signal to the brain’s electromagnetic (em) field. But unlike solitary nerve signals, information that reaches the brain’s em field is automatically bound together with all the other signals in the brain. The brain’s em field does the binding that is characteristic of consciousness. What Professor McFadden and, independently, the New Zealand-based neurobiologist Sue Pockett, have proposed, is that the brain’s em field IS consciousness.
The brain’s electromagnetic field is not just an information sink; it can influence our actions, pushing some neurones towards firing and others away from firing. This influence, Professor McFadden proposes, is the physical manifestation of our conscious will.
The theory explains many of the peculiar features of consciousness, such as its involvement in the learning process. Anyone learning to drive a car will have experienced how the first (very conscious) fumblings are transformed through constant practise into automatic actions. The neural networks driving those first uncertain fumblings are precisely where we would expect to find nerves in the undecided state when a small nudge from the brain’s em field can topple them towards or away from firing. The field will ‘fine tune’ the neural pathway towards the desired goal. But neurones are connected so that when they fire together, they wire together, to form stronger connections. After practice, the influence of the field will become dispensable. The activity will be learnt and may thereafter be performed unconsciously.
One of the objections to an electromagnetic field theory of consciousness is if our minds are electromagnetic, then why don’t we pass out when we walk under an electrical cable or any other source of external electromagnetic fields? The answer is that our skin, skull and cerebrospinal fluid shield us from external electric fields.
“The conscious electromagnetic information field is at present still a theory. But if true, there are many fascinating implications for the concept of free will, the nature of creativity or spirituality, consciousness in animals and even the significance of life and death. The theory explains why conscious actions feel so different from unconscious ones – it is because they plug into the vast pool of information held in the brain’s electromagnetic field,” Professor McFadden concluded.
-Ends-
Notes for editor
The University of Surrey is one of the UK’s leading professional, scientific and technological universities with a world class research profile and a reputation for excellence in teaching and research. Ground-breaking research at the University is bringing direct benefit to all spheres of life – helping industry to maintain its competitive edge and creating improvements in the areas of health, medicine, space science, the environment, communications, defence and social policy. Programmes in science and technology have gained widespread recognition and it also boasts flourishing programmes in dance and music, social sciences, management and languages and law. In addition to the campus on 150 hectares just outside Guildford, Surrey, the University also owns and runs the Surrey Research Park, which provides facilities for 80 companies employing 2,500 staff.
Peer reveiwed publication and references
The paper “Synchronous firing and its influence on the brain’s electromagnetic field: evidence for an electromagnetic field theory of consciousness. Johnjoe McFadden, is published in the current edition of Journal of Consciousness Studies (http://www.imprint.co.uk/jcs_9_4.html), along with a commentary by Dr Susan Pockett.
Reference URL : http://www.imprint.co.uk/jcs_9_4.html
For further information, please contact:
Liezel Tipper
University of Surrey
press-office@surrey.ac.uk
01483 689314
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msswv123
Joined: 17 Jan 2001
Posts: 123
Location: Gastonia,NC USA |
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Wed Sep 03, 2003 4:22 am
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Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Brussels, Belgium
BIRA-IASB is a governmental Institution that conducts experiments and theoretical studies in the field of physics and chemistry of the Earth and planetary upper atmospheres, of magnetospheres and interplanetary medium.
Space Plasmas and Radiation Belt Environment Group, Brussels, Belgium
The Space Plasmas and Radiation Belt Environment Group at the Belgian Institute for space Aeronomy is directly interested in kinetic plasma theory with applications to directional discontinuities in collisionless plasma, solar wind, polar wind, magnetopause, plasmasphere and Earth's radiation belt models.
Dept of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, Tel Aviv University (TAU), Israel
Dr Colin Price is part of the Department of Geophysics and Planetary Sciences at TAU. His group focuses on lightning research in the VLF and ELF range, and the the relationships between atmospheric electricity and global climate change. The TAU group runs a Schumann resonance site in the Negev Desert, for studying the variability of global lightning activity. The TAU team is also interested in sprites/elves and other ELF/VLF transients.
Sodankylä Geophysical Observatory (SGO), Sodankylä, Finland
SGO provides a wealth of geomagnetic and ionospheric data: magnetic observatory since 1914; ionosonde since 1957; chain of 10+ riometers between Helsinki and Svalbard since 1965. SGO has more than 10 years of experience in developing VLF receivers and conducting VLF measurement campaigns together with ionospheric observations by radio tomography, incoherent scatter radars (EISCAT), and cameras.
Arctic & Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), St Petersburg, Russia
The Main Scientific Center of Russian Federation - Arctic & Antarctic Research Institute is a govermental multidisciplinary institution that conducts experiment and theoretical studies of the natural phenomen (climate, sea ice conditions, polar oceanography, polar upper atmosphere and space research etc.) in the polar regions of the both hemisphere.
The Geophysical Department of AARI is involved in the studies of behaviour of the polar magnetosphere, ionosphere and atmosphere as well as of the solar terrestrial relations in the forms of the space disturbances influence on the climate and hydrometeorological regime of the polar regions.
Institut für Geophysik, Frankfurt/Main University, Germany
The Institut für Geophysik at Frankfurt/Main University represents four different solid Earth programs: applied geophysics, geodynamics, rock physics and theoretical seismology.
Atmspheric Research Group, Institut für Geophysik, Frankfurt/Main University, Germany
The atmospheric research group is part of the applied physics program and has an expertise in atmospheric electrodynamics, in particular with lightning flashes, sprites, and the global circuit.
Max-Planck-Institute für Aeronomie (MPAe), Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany
The Max-Planck-Institut fuer Aeronomie is an institute of the German Max-Planck-Gesellschaft for basic research. Fields of research are the upper atmopshere, the ionosphere, the magnetosphere, the sun and heliosphere, planets and comets. Special interest is on solar-terrestrial and solar-planetary relations. The institute is located near Goettingen on the countryside.
Geodetic and Geophysical Research Institute, Hungary
The Geodetic and Geophysical Research Institute of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences conducts in its Department for Aeronomy experimental and theoretical investigation of the middle and upper atmosphere in the field of atmospheric electricity - atmospheric electric field, point discharge currents, Schumann resonances, in the field of ionospheric physics - study of the effect of galactic cosmic rays and energetic particles in the lower and middle atmosphere, analyses of the interaction between the neutral and ionized upper atmosphere, study of ionospheric irregularities.
British Antarctic Survey (BAS), Cambridge, UK
The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) is a government-funded research laboratory, and a component body of the Natural Environment Research Council. The BAS mission is to carry out high quality research in a wide variety of disciplines, biology, geology and physical sciences. BAS operates a range of manned and unmanned observatories in Antarctica from its headquaters in Cambridge.
Within the Physical Sciences Division, research is carried out at all altitudes, from surface meteorology to the interaction of the magnetosphere with the solar wind. The major foci of geospace research are reconnection and substorms. Global Change is the over-arching theme of the research below 120 km altitude.
Service d'Aeronomie, France
The Service d'Aeronomie of CNRS is a governmental institution depending on CNRS, University of Paris 6-Jussieu and University of Versailles-Saint Quentin. It is also part of the new Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace. It is devoted to the study of the atmospheres (Earth and planets) and of the solar environment. It is based both in Verrieres-le-Buisson and Paris.
Service d'Aeronomie, Dynamic and Climate of the Middle Atmosphere (DCAM), France
The team called "Dynamic and Climate of the Middle Atmosphere" DCAM is focusing on the study of dynamical and physical processes occuring in the middle atmosphere, among which the processus which may be responsible for the influence of solar activity on the atmosphere and the climate. The study of the variability at all scales (GW, PW, QBO, solar) has been pursued in parallel with the detection and attribution of long trem trends in the stratosphere.
Electromagnetics and Plasma Technology Laboratory, Kyushu Institute of Technology, Japan
Electromagnetics and Plasma Technology Laboratory at the Kyushu Institute of Technology is working on various aspects of Electromagnetics and Plasmas with the emphasis on space-related fields. Computational as well as experimental works on gas discharge in atmospheric air and rarefied gas around spacecraft are conducted including upper-atmospheric ionisation caused by lightning-generated electromagnetic pulse.
Dept of the Terrestrial Physics, State University of St.-Petersburg, Russia
The State University of St.-Petersburg (Russia), grounded in 1724 as an Academic University, has 18 faculties. The Physical Faculty at the University conducts theoretical and experimental investigation in practically all fields of the modern Physics. The Department of the Terrestrial Physics at the Faculty conducts studies in two fields: Physics of the Solid Earth (headed by Prof. Troyan V. N.), and Solar-Terrestrial Physics (the head is Prof. Pudovkin M. I.).
The 'Space - Earth weather' group at the Laboratory of the Solar-Terrestrial Physics consists of 5 persons: Pudovkin M. I., Prof.; Zaitseva S. A., Senior Res. Worker, Ph.D.; Morozova A. L., Ass. Prof., Ph.D.; Plenkina I. A., Ph.D. student, MS; Akhremtchik S. N., PhD student, MS.
The main topic of studies is effects of cosmic rays (of the galactic and solar origin) variations in the atmospheric transparency and cloudiness variations, and in the state of the lower atmosphere.
Department of Earth Sciences - Meteorology, Uppsala University, Sweden
Uppsala University belongs to the Swedish government. The university conducts research and educations covering a lot of fields. Faculty of Technology and Natural Sciences conducts research and educations in a lot of fields within natural sciences. Department of Earth Sciences conducts research and educations within fields of the Earth and atmosphere. In the Meteorology programme the main study is of the atmosphere.
Plasma Physics & High Power Electronics Department, Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences (IAP RAS), Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
The Plasma Physics & High Power Electronics Department is one of departments of the Institute of Applied Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences (IAP RAS), Nizhny Novgorod. The main problem which unites our researches is development of methods for generation of powerful (particularly, microwave) radiation and investigation of its interaction with plasma, including space plasmas.
The group of Ionospheric and Magnetospheric Plasma, and the group of Atmospheric Physics deal with theory and applications of particle- wave interaction, atmosphere-ionosphere-magnetosphere coupling, electrohydrodynamics and atmospheric electricity, dynamics of ozone and other minor costituents of the atmosphere. In particular, we are conducting experiments on the microwave sounding of the atmosphere, as well as field research and laboratory modeling of atmospheric electric processes.
Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF), Sweden
IRF conducts experimental and theoretical researches in space plasma and atmospheric physics. It has 4 divisions in Kiruna, Uppsala, Umeå and Lund.
Atmospheric Research Programme (AFP) of IRF, Kiruna, Sweden
AFP is also a part of Environment and Space Research Institute (MRI). AFP is focusing on study of ozone in meso- and stratosphere, strato- and mesospheric clouds, coupling between different atmospheric layers, fair-weather atmospheric electricity. Radars, optical methods, sounding rockets and balloons are used. Continuous measurements of trace gases, atmospheric winds, air-earth electrical currents are made there.
Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI), St. Petersburg, Russia
The Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute (AARI) is a governmental Institution that conducts oceanological, hydrometeorological, geophysical, hydrological, and ice researches in polar regions in Arctic and Antarctic.
AARI - Department of Geophysics, St. Petersburg, Russia
The Department of Geophysics at the Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute is concerned with studies of solar wind-magnetosphere coupling, magnetic substorms development, links between space weather on the Earth's weather, and influence of space weather on high-tech systems. The department is responsible for Russian network of geophysical observations in Arctic and Antarctic.
Space Physics Group, University of Houston, Texas, USA
Mission Statement The mission the Space Physics Group of the Physics Department at the University of Houston is to conduct original research in the areas of atmospheric electricity, upper atmospheric physics, atmospheric chemistry, space physics and aeronomy. The term space physics as used here incorporates the disciplines of ionospheric physics, magnetospheric physics, space plasma physics, solar heliospheric physics and cosmic rays physics. In addition, it is also the mission of the space physics group to provide instruction in these topics to the students of the University of Houston. The main objective of this aspect of our mission is providing a source of qualified, trained personnel to the space-oriented employers of the Houston area. Finally, it is the mission of the group to provide knowledgable consulting services in these areas and topics to all elements of the Houston community that request such support.
Research Objectives As a group, we have conducted experiments to measure and image electron bremsstrahlung beneath auroras, to measure electron bremsstrahlung accompanying both natural and triggered VLF events, auroral zone electric fields, plasmapause electric fields, electric fields at high altitude due to thunderstorms, and the electromagnetic radiation spectrum of lightning at high altitude, VLF magnetic fields accompanying active experiments in the ionosphere, dc plasma properties in the ionosphere near pulsating aurora, ionospheric electric fields near the magnetospheric cusp, and ground level atmospheric electric field and air-Earth current at the South Pole.
See also: Sprite Campaign Page; this page contains a complete description of the Sprites 99 balloon campaign. I hope to include bibliography links sometime soon.
SEVEM (Survey of ELF and VLF Experiments in the Magnetosphere), Brussels, Belgium
This site displays a documented catalogue of missions/satellites that surveyed the electromagnetic VLF and ELF environment in the terrestrial magnetosphere since 1959. The orbital parameters are given for each satellite, as well as contact persons, bibliographical references concerning the experiments and preliminary results. The location where the data are stored is also given.
all links here~ http://www.sgo.fi/SPECIAL/link.html |
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