Physicist Who Had Near-Death Experience Explores the Afterlife
One San Francisco scientist who’s spent decades contemplating the conundrums of physics has turned his attention to the enigma of human consciousness.
Dr. Alan Ross Hugenot (pictured) holds a doctorate of science in mechanical engineering, and has had a successful career in marine engineering, serving on committees that write the ship-building standards for the United States. He studied physics and mechanical engineering at the Oregon Institute of Technology.
But also central to his work is the study of the afterlife following a near-death experience (or NDE) after a motorcycle accident in his younger years.
“I did things using Newtonian physics to create ships,” he said, “but the whole time, I knew better. There’s this whole other world that our five senses don’t register.” He gave a talk on the science of the afterlife at the International Association for Near-Death Studies (IANDS) 2014 Conference in Newport Beach, California.
Exploring scientific theories related to this other world, Hugenot has wondered whether the consciousness of living human beings, as well as the “souls” of the dead, reside in dark matter or dark energy. He has pondered the implications of the power our consciousness seems to have over physical reality.
Hugenot told of a near-death experience in the 1970s during which he experienced part of this other world. He found it “more real than this place.”
These matters aren’t only intellectual curiosities for Hugenot; they bear on a profound experience that has changed his worldview.
Hugenot summarized some theories in physics, interpreting how they may point to the existence of a consciousness independent of the brain and to the existence of an afterlife on another plane. He noted that further investigation would be needed to verify his postulates. He also noted challenges in trying to verify these ideas in a traditional scientific framework.
Consciousness Could Exist in a “Cloud”
Hugenot said the human consciousness may function like the data we store in the cloud. That data can be accessed from multiple devices — your smartphone, your tablet, your desktop computer.
During a NDE, theorized Hugenot, the mind may be fleeing a dangerous situation. We can “flip the switch and go to the other computer,” he said.
“The nexus of my consciousness is in my head, but the locus of my consciousness — where is it really? It’s outside my body. Because inside and outside is an illusion.”
Space may not exist, or at least not in the way we commonly understand it, he said, citing Dr. John Bell’s non-locality theorem. “[It’s a] hard one to get; we love our space,” he joked.
Non-locality refers to the ability of two objects to instantaneously know about each other’s states, even if they’re separated by vast distances. It is related to the phenomenon of entanglement: particle A and particle B interact, and thereafter remain mysteriously bonded. When particle A undergoes a change, particle B undergoes the same change; A and B have, in many ways, lost their individuality and behave as a single entity.
Bell’s theorem has been verified by many scientists over the years and is part of mainstream quantum physics. Hugenot’s ideas about the consciousness existing inside and outside of the human body at the same time build on this theorem, but remain outside the mainstream.
Is the Afterlife in Dark Matter, or Maybe in Another Dimension?
What scientists have observed accounts for an estimated 4 percent of our universe. Dark energy and dark matter comprise the other 96 percent. Scientists don’t really know what dark energy and matter are, and their existence is only perceived because of the effects they appear to have on observable matter.
Hugenot said: “This undiscerned 96 percent of the universe … gives us plenty of room for both consciousness and the afterlife to exist in.”
Perhaps the consciousness exists in another dimension, Hugenot said. String theory, much discussed in mainstream physics, holds that other dimensions exist beyond the four-dimensional concept of the universe. String theory views the universe as a world of very thin, vibrating strings. The strings are thought to project from a lower-dimensional cosmos, one that is simpler, flatter, and without gravity.
Why Ghosts Can Go Through Walls — and You Can Too
Hugenot said that reaching another dimension could be a matter of belief. Maybe our bodies could pass through walls if we really believed they could.
“My whole soul believes in 3-D, so I can’t go through the wall,” he said. He looked at some experiments that have shown the power human consciousness has to influence physical reality.
Light Can Be Either a Particle or a Wave — Depending on Your Thoughts
Consciousness seems to have a physical impact on matter. The famed double-slit experiment shocked physicists when it showed that photons (light particles) act differently when they are observed than when no one is watching.
Essentially, the observer can cause the photons to take either the particle or the wave form by the very act of measuring; they aren’t fixed in one form as expected.
Particles exist as potential, Hugenot said, and the observer determines what form they take. He noted that the influence of a researcher’s mind on his or her experiment has serious implications: “If a skeptic wants to replicate what a ‘believer’ found in their experiment, the skeptic can’t do it, because … [it’s going to go] the way that guy wants to see it and not the way the other guy wants to see it.”
Hugenot asked, if potential only takes form when observed, who or what was the observer of the Big Bang? His answer is, simply “consciousness.”
Princeton Experiments Show the Mind Can Influence Electronic Devices
Princeton Engineering Anomalies Research Lab (PEAR) at Princeton University is famous for experiments it conducted showing our minds may actually affect the operations of electronic devices. Over many years, PEAR researchers conducted millions of experiments with hundreds of people. A typical example of such an experiment is as follows:
A random event generator (REG) is an electronic device that can produce bits representing either 0 or 1. Study participants would try to influence the REG either way, toward 0 or toward 1. If the events showed a significant favor in the direction of the person’s will above what chance would dictate, it suggested the person’s will influenced the machine.
The cumulative finding was that the human mind can slightly influence the machine. Though the influence was slight, the consistency was significant. Over the course of so many trials, the statistical power increased. The probability of these results happening by chance rather than by an influence of the human mind is less than 1 in 1 billion.
See more here: theepochtimes.com
Header image: Tara MacIsaac
Editor’s note: On the subject of the possibility of ‘walking through walls’, it is now known the US Army set up the ‘psychic spy unit’ at Fort Meade in the late 1970’s (later known as the Stargate Project), with the hope of developing potential military applications of paranormal powers some people seem to possess (like invisibility, remote viewing and the apparent ability to pass through solid objects), which was sent up in the comedy film The Men Who Stare At Goats. It was also one of many reported side-effects of the Philadelphia Experiment in 1953, which itself was made into the excellent novel Thin Air by Simpson & Burger.
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Howdy
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“Hugenot told of a near-death experience in the 1970s during which he experienced part of this other world”
May I suggest he experienced nothing more than his own sub-conscious. Anyone been to heaven? Not possible, it’s the same thing.
“Before the soul can stand in the presence of the Masters, its feet must be washed in the blood of the heart.”
Mortals are simply not in the state of purification required to enable, nor withstand such presence. Not worthy, if you prefer.
One cannot be ‘near-death’. One is alive or one is not. Simple as that.
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lloyd
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Says who?
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Howdy
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Says me.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Howdy,
When you wrote: “Says me..” you are claiming to be a MORTAL god. Do you really BELIEVE you are???
Have a good day, Jerry
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Howdy,
When you wrote: “Says me..” you are claiming to be a MORTAL god. Do you really BELIEVE you are???
Have a good day, Jerry
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Howdy
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Hi Jerry,
No I’m not. I’m writing based on perception, knowledge, intuition and experience.
“One cannot be ‘near-death’. One is alive or one is not”
Here’s an example that might stir minds. My Father was in hospital due to a stroke, but was recovering well. He needed the bathroom, so got out of his chair and started to walk then dropped dead. It was not related to the stroke.
My point: By medical standards, he was not ‘near death’, yet he died, therefore it is a useless description of a bodily state.
At what time was he ‘near death’ then? The last step? Sat in the chair? Hours, days before, when?
Since none of us knows our time, we are constantly ‘near death’ as far as we know.
Howdy
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here’s something else. At what point are we nearer to death than we are nearer to life?
Mark Tapley
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Hi Howdy:
I believe you are essentially correct. There are no transitionary experiences recorded in the Bible. The closest thing available in this area is the Parable of the Rich man and Lazarus. In this case referring to Jews still under the Law of Moses. The point is that during our time on earth we must be prepared since we do not know when our time here is finished. Those claiming near death experiences may just have had a dream:
Luke 16:19-31
There was a certain rich man, which was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day:
And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, which was laid at his gate, full of sores,
And desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table: moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.
And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried;
And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.
But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented.
And beside all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence.
Then he said, I pray thee therefore, father, that thou wouldest send him to my father’s house:
For I have five brethren; that he may testify unto them, lest they also come into this place of torment.
Abraham saith unto him, They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.
And he said, Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent.
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
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Howdy
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Hi Mark,
The Bible quote says more to me about Humility, Compassion, and reaping what one sows. Relates to “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the Earth.
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Mark Tapley
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Hello Howdy:
There are several lessons in the parable. My point is that neither man had any premonitions or warning. It is interesting that ancient Chinese script records his death, burial and resurrection of Christ:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrZqWJnYHL4
https://www.bitchute.com/video/nBJr1Hzl2KP8/
https://www.bitchute.com/video/mSFU7eoYH17G/
Also the flood of Noah:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ShfUjM0mKLs
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Howdy
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Hi Mark,
I got your point. 🙂
I’ll copy the links and have a look later, thanks.
Howdy
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Hi Mark,
Do you believe all religions and beliefs come from the same root? In Christianity we have God who created life, the Egyptians had Khnum, who made people from the clay of the Nile and breathed life into them, the Chinese have Nuwa, who separated the heaven from the earth, and created beings from yellow clay.
Charles Higley
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Wow. He lost me with the idea that anything has to do with dark energy or dark matter, particularly human experience and afterlife. As the Big Bang Theory is actually an unproven hypothesis based on terrible, unfounded assumptions, there is no reason for any dark physics to exist at all. There are nine models for black holes—nine because none of them work with the observed universe. Despite that, they go looking for blackholes and now claim that they can see them for various reasons, including our galactic center.
As gravity is 10^-38 times WEAKER than electromagnetism (EM), they assume that EM is powerless, despite the fact that we have to worry about static charge, EM fields and such in everything we do. London dispersion forces are clearly what allows life to exist in bilayer lipid membranes, but farther from that they assume these forces do not exist. However, as gravity is 10^-38 the strength of EM and matter is always made of quarks and electrons which ALWAYS carry charge, how is gravity not simply a vestige of London dispersion? How can that be ignored? I cannot see how the inherent charges of matter can be so easily ignored and a fourth force, gravity, invoked instead. As the EM nature of gravity has NEVER been shown to be wrong, I put forth that gravity does not exist—it’s observable effects are real, just the source is wrong.
In such case, blackholes and the Big Bang do not exist. We have an Electric Universe based on EM and galactic centers are EM nexi that spout out nascent energy vortices that develop into new galaxies, as part of a Steady State EM Universe. Using an EM view, almost everything we see is explainable, even in a lab, and the fantasy black matter, energy, and force are not needed at all. When 99% of your (Big Bang) model is based on things that you even admit cannot be detected, perhaps one should go back to basics and start over. When you then pretend that you can talk about a multiverse of universes and how far it is to a universe where you wore a maroon, paisley shirt today, one needs to see a psychiatrist or find a better (more realistic) profession.
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jessica ayni
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I make 85 dollars each hour for working an online job at home. dso I never thought I can do it but my best friend makes 10000 bucks every month working this job and she recommended me to learn more about it.
The potential with this is endless…>>>>>>https://t.ly/eGAt
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MattH
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While the London dispersion force between individual atoms and molecules is quite weak and decreases quickly with separation (R) like {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{R^{6}}}}{\displaystyle {\frac {1}{R^{6}}}}, in condensed matter (liquids and solids), the effect is cumulative over the volume of materials,[5] or within and between organic molecules, such that London dispersion forces can be quite strong in bulk solid and liquids and decay much more slowly with distance. For example, the total force per unit area between two bulk solids decreases by {\displaystyle {\frac {1}{R^{3}}}}{\frac {1}{R^{3}}}[6] where R is the separation between them. (from wikipedia)
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Sue
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I was a believer from long ago, my Daughter died under horrible circumstances in 2006. We fought tooth and nail to hold the city and county accountable and in 2008, after I had moved from the state it happened in, there was a settlement agreement meeting held in a city of my current residence.. on my way home with my husband (2 hrs away) I saw a rainbow in the distance.. (my Daughter always used to yell ‘Rainbow” in a most lovely voice when she was happy) and I said in my head, Emily if that is you, please come closer, not a cloud in the sky in the desert and the rainbow came closer.. into our car, my husband was driving and the rainbow wrapped around both of us,. I don’t care if no one believes, it is true, and my husband knows it is true. I know it was Emily recognizing how hard we fought for her and of course never won, as winning would still be having her here, but recognizing the battle we fought and thanking us.
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Mike Wort
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Dr Hugenot should read the account by Brain Surgeon Eben Alexander, who after his own totally unexplained NDE also realised that the seat of consciousness is not inside the living brain but outside it. Alexander has written two books about this.
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Jerry Krause
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Hi PSI Readers,
“Dr. Alan Ross Hugenot (pictured) holds a doctorate of science in mechanical engineering, and has had a successful career in marine engineering, serving on committees that write the ship-building standards for the United States. He studied physics and mechanical engineering at the Oregon Institute of Technology.”
This early paragraph contains information which should make one cautious about what one reads in this article.
First, does anyone know what “a doctorate of science” is? I know about a doctorate of philosophy but until this article I had never read that there was a doctorate of science. I do believe what is written about his mechanical engineering career; however I know that the Oregon Institute of Technology never awarded a doctorate of science,, or of engineering, or of philosophy as Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has. I reread the article to satisfy myself that I (we) do not know from the article where he received his ‘doctorate of science”.
So before one begins to make comments about what reads, I urge one be cautious. Not that having earned a PhD degree in any field of study makes what one writes, or states, any more valid.
Have a good day, Jerry
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Jerry Krause
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Hi Howdy,
You wtote: “No I’m not. I’m writing based on perception, knowledge, intuition and experience.”
How is it that you don’t write about reproducible physical events. The difference between atoms and humans is that atoms of a given elements have the same general properties whereas we know each human and animal life have clearly observed different abilities and interests etc. Eagles and Vultures are both soaring birds. But I believe you might agree that Eagles are generally predators and eat fresh meat and Vultures are not predators as they eat dead decaying meat. Hence, the physical sciences are far simpler to generally understand (explain) than the life sciences are.
Have a good day, Jerry
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Howdy
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“How is it that you don’t write about reproducible physical events.”
I have, if you reference my past comments about vehicles, electronics and such.
I, like most, am multi-faceted, and I am simply responding to the subject of the article in my way, plus maybe a tangent or two. I see more to life than chemical equations, formulas, and scientific laws, even though I have to use equations in my other pursuits. The reason for living is different to me than it is to you. You allready know that Jerry.
“Eagles are generally predators and eat fresh meat and Vultures are not predators as they eat dead decaying meat”
They are still both carnivores, just one hunts, the other is an opportunistic scavenger.
“the physical sciences are far simpler to generally understand (explain) than the life sciences are.”
Are they? Depends on the individual. Matters of life and death are very important to me.
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Howdy
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Have a read of this Jerry: https://www.gaia.com/article/what-is-occultism
“Occultism is nothing more than a belief (or experimentation) in alternative ways of viewing the world, views that may not necessarily be welcomed, nor understood, by the culture in which an individual lives.”
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