What happens when a rat stops dreaming? In 2004, researchers at the University of Wisconsin at Madison decided to find out. Their method was simple, if a bit devilish. Step 1: Strand a rat in a tub of water. In the center of this tiny sea, allot the creature its own little desert island in the form of an inverted flowerpot. The rat can swim around as much as it pleases, but come nightfall, if it wants any sleep, it has to clamber up and stretch itself across the flowerpot, its belly sagging over the drainage hole.In this uncomfortable position, the rat is able to rest and eventually fall asleep. But as soon as the animal hits REM sleep, the muscular paralysis that accompaniesthis stage of vivid dreaming causes its body to slacken.
The rat slips through the hole and gets dunked in the water. The surprised rat is then free to crawl back onto the pot, lick the drops off its paws, and go back to sleep—but it won't get any REM sleep.Step 2: After several mostly dreamless nights, the creature is subjected to a virtual decathlon of physical ordeals designed to test its survival behaviors. Every rat is born with a set of instinctive reactions to threatening situations. These behaviors don't have to be learned; they're natural defenses—useful responses accrued over millennia of rat society.
The
dream-deprived rats flubbed each of the tasks. When plopped down in a
wide-open field, they did not scurry to the safety of a more sheltered
area; instead, they recklessly wandered around exposed areas. When
shocked,they paused briefly and then went about their business, rather
than freezing in their tracks the way normal rats do. When confronted
with a foreign object in their burrow, they did not bury it; instead,
they groomed themselves. Had the animals been out in the wild, they
would have made easy prey.
The surprise came during
Step 3. Each rat was given amphetamines and tested again; nothing
changed. If failure to be an effective rat were due to mere sleep
deprivation, amphetamines would have reversed the effect. But that
didn't happen. These rats weren't floundering because they were sleepy.
Something else was going on—but what?
What Dreams Are Made Of
Dreaming is so basic to
human existence, it's astonishing we don't understand it better. It
consumes years of our lives, and no other single activityexe......
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Mr. Gerald O'Donnell holds a B.Sc. in Mathematics, a M.Sc. in computer Science, and an MBA. He is a certified Hypnotherapist. He was, amongst other activities in various fields, once considered one of the world's 7 best top technical commodities experts (independent advisor: C.T.A.) by Paine Webber and Bache Co.. He was approached in the 1980's by a Western European intelligence agency in order to join an ongoing program of mental Remote Viewing (sensing) of targetedlocations. This m...Mediation sharpens the mind
Three months of intense training in a form of meditation known as "insight" in Sanskrit can sharpen a person's brain enough to help them notice details they might otherwise miss. These new findings add to a growing body of research showing that millennia-old mental disciplines can help control and improve the mind, possibly to help treat conditions such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)."Certain mental characteristics that were previously regarded as relativel...The MoD and remote viewing
Earlier this year (February) it was revealed through FOIA (Freedom of information act) documents that the UK MOD previously conducted secret tests into remote viewing in 2002. The MOD study concluded that even though they used complete novices with very shaky project structure and a 28% accuracy rate that 'remote viewing' was of little value. Yet this doesn’t actually seem to be the first time the British MODinvestigated remote viewing, and it seems that certain branches of the MOD actua...Paranormal - where is it ?
Anthony North: A major skeptical point concerning the paranormal is that it does not seem to be needed. We have senses to offer impressions of the world, and a mind to analyse those senses. No paranormality is required.Within this system, a skeptical question would be: if paranormal powers exist, where are they? This is a valid point. Maybe the answer is that they used to be there, but are now somewhere else. Let me explain. Altered states: There is an inter-religious discipline known as mystici...Bank robber hypnotized tellers
In a bizarre series of robberies in southern Russia a women has been reportedly hypnotizing bank tellers in to handing over large quantities of money, she is suspected of robbing up to 30 banks using this unusual technique."Bank robbers havethreatened tellers with knives, shot their way into banks and tunnelled up into vaults. But one woman insouthern Russia chose a more peaceful method: Police say Galina Korzhova hypnotised a ...Uri Geller sued over YouTube video battle
The San Francisco-based Electronic Frontier Foundation this week jumped into a legal battle involving efforts by self-described psychic Uri Geller - who is famous for claiming to bend spoons by mental forces -- to censor video clips of him posted on YouTube. The foundation, which bills itself as the first line of defense in digital free speech issues, sued Geller's company in U.S. District Court in San Francisco, claiming that the psychic used "baseless copyright claims" to silence...How widepsread is precognition ?
A study conducted over 10 years ago found that over 35% of those surveyed in Charlottesville, Virginia reported having had a preconitive experience at some point in their lives - but just howwidespread is this phenomenon ?
"More than a decade ago, two psychologists conducted anextensive survey of people in Charlottesville, Virginia, sampling 350 town residents and 262 students at the University of Virginia, asking them 46 ques...Police to study hypnosis techniques
Hypnosis techniques are being proposed as a new branch of training for police officers in the UK to help encourage witnesses and suspects to tell the truth by placing them in a"receptive brainwave state"."Police officers will study hypnosis techniquesto help them encourage suspects and witnesses to tell the truth. . Investigators from across Britain have been invited to a free taster workshop at the University of Chesternext Ju...Astral Projection: Doorway to a New Dimension
By Jerry Gross
The concept of astral
projection has been around for a long time, but until today, it has been hidden
from most of humanity. Now, with the aid of astral projection, new levels of
knowledge and power enable us to discover the answer to Man's eternal question
about life in the physical body. Death takes on a new meaning as we begin to
realize that it is only a transition to another dimension, or place of
existence. By learning to astral project, we can learn many thin...Deeper look at Hypnosis
Hypnosis is a process involving a hypnotist and
a subject who agrees to be hypnotized. Being hypnotized is usually characterized
by (a) intense concentration, (b) extreme relaxation, and (c) high
suggestibility. The versatility of hypnosis is unparalleled.
Hypnosis occurs under dramatically different social settings: the showroom, the
clinic, the classroom, and the police station. Showroom hypnotists usually work
bars and clubs. Their subjects are usually people whose idea of a goo...
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Gerald O'Donnell remote viewing interviews
Mediation sharpens the mind
The MoD and remote viewing
Paranormal - where is it ?
Bank robber hypnotized tellers
Uri Geller sued over YouTube video battle
Police to study hypnosis techniques
Deeper look at Hypnosis
