The Mass Consciousness Experiment

Note: I'm not sure if this is the appropriate place for this thread, so moderators, please do not hesitate to move or delete this thread as you please. I would have posted this in the "Research" forums, as that seems to best fit the description of this thread, but access seems to be restricted there.

I know I'm new here, but I'm very interested in I suppose what is called "fringe science" - anti-gravity, crypto-zoology, etc. - and have been browsing these forums on and off for a few years. I would describe myself as a reasonable skeptic, open minded, yet skeptical of anything too far-fetched without reasonable evidence.

Several years ago I came across something I thought was very intriguing - I think it was Art Bell (Coast to Coast AM) who referred to an experiment he performed where he instructed his listeners to simultaneously concentrate on a certain event happening (like the weather changing if I remember correctly). He only performed the experiment twice, but the bizarre thing is that both times it actually worked. He said he stopped experimenting because he felt he might be playing with something that was potentially dangerous and could have unexpected consequences.

This "mass consciousness" effect seems like interesting grounds for experimentation, although an experiment of this sort is extremely difficult to acheive reliably due to the cooperation required from so many people. Personally, I'm quite skeptical that this is true, but think that it might prove to be quite interesting to perform such an experiment through the ATS forums here. As far-fetched as it seems, if we can show that mass concentration actually can manipulate space/time, it would be quite a "discovery". If not, then no harm done, although nothing will be proven either way.

Anyway, here's what I propose: At a certain scheduled time (maybe with the aid of an online count-down), everyone who wants to give it a try would concentrate on a specified event happening. Obviously we'd have to agree on a time and subject that works for the most people. The subject should be a insignificant yet noticeably unusual event. The time should probably be somewhere around the evening hours here in the US so the maximum number of people can participate.

I know it sounds crazy. It does to me too, but I have a bit of respect for Art Bell which in my mind at least gives this possibility a bit more credibility than if I just read it off the Internet. Most likely the effect he described was just a coincidence, in which case this whole thing would be just a waste of time, but I think it's worth a try, just out of curiosity and true scientific spirit.

What do you think?

I think you would have better luck participating in a larger forum that is solely dedicated to what you are trying to accomplish. I don't think there are enough people who really believe in this on ATS to make it worthwhile. I could be wrong though.

I would try to find out if they were trying another "Fire The Grid" type of experiment any time soon and just try to coordinate people to join in on it with you. You would end up with much larger numbers that way.

reply to post by Karlhungis


Posting this in paranormal probably would have received a better response.

I do believe there is a universal consciousness that connects everything. As for an experiment, many have been tried here.

With that being said, I believe the paranormal forum may be a better option for a thread like this. People over there are generally more open to an idea with this kind of topic.

I believe what you are looking for is the Global Consciousness Project centered at Princeton University.

You may find what you are looking for there.

Good luck .

I've been participating in the Global Consciousness project since 1995. The project uses random number generators placed at different locations around the world. The data is fed to a server at Princeton where it is analyzed for any correlation. In theory, the data should have almost no correlation since it is produced by random number generators. In practice, however, the data becomes correlated during global catastrophes and other significant events. This leads me to believe that there is an element of the physical world that we can influence with our thoughts that is not currently understood. Go to the link biggie smalls provided to look at the data.

I don't quite understand what the colors mean. Care you explain fomalhaut?

I've seen the site several times before, but the colors still don't seem to make any sense.

Here are some threads this has been discussed to help you out:

Global Consciousness Project

Global consciousness project in the red- something imminent

Global consciousness project watch

Global consciousness project in the red

The Global Consciousness Project, Global Correlations in Random Data

[edit on 3/23/2008 by biggie smalls]

Ok, thanks for the help. I'll try the paranormal studies forums - I don't know why that didn't occur to me in the first place.

I think I've heard of the Global Consciousness Project, but while it may be somewhat interesting, it's not nearly as interesting as the effect Art Bell described. Manipulating random numbers just don't have the same appeal as manipulating the real world I guess.

P.S. You can delete this thready now if you want, since I'll be posting it in the paranormal forums.

[edit on 23-3-2008 by ac500]

reply to post by biggie smalls

The explanation is in a post by worldwatcher on the first page of your second link. I'm a newb here or I would direct link it myself. Red is the point at which the correlation becomes statistically significant. Bright red means there is about a 1 percent probability that the correlation occurred by chance. I think the dot is not exactly scientific and the data may have been delayed somewhat.
My personal role in the project is rather small. I have a small silver box that plugs into the serial port of my computer. A program on my computer obtains data from the box and sends it off to Princeton. All I have to do is keep my computer up and running.

Is it me or has anyone else noticed that pages to this thread are missing. I swear there were at least 3 pages worth about 2 days ago. I know this for a fact because i had a post on page 2 and page 3. Have the other posts been deleted, whats gong on?

reply to post by Paper_Chaser


There's another thread with the same name Mass consciousness experiment

Check that out, its in the paranormal forum.

Thank you, tiredness has set in now. I thought for a second just then i was loosing my marbles.