WeAreTheKey

Very, VERY interesting article, that if it holds up to be true, would have huge social implications. The social evolution that you speak of, Transfixed, and the physical evolution, that I claim would also be required for humans to truly live peacefully with each other, could happen much, much sooner than expected.

Obviously, this is very early speculation and could turn out to be complete bunk, but the possibility is titilating, nonetheless.

http://www.newsweek.com/id/180103?gt1=43002

Wow, that is awesome.
It would make a whole lot of sense I think, and it would help to explain such mysterious evolutionary stumbling blocks as the Cambrian Explosion, in which a few root species suddenly exploded into a huge myriad of species in such a short time span that Darwinian evolution couldn't explain it.

And so, if it's not only diet that effects offspring but also experience that can effect DNA, then in essence, this would be scientific proof of the fact that consciousness itself can effect DNA... since 'experience' is basically an alteration of a beings' consciousness.

Now to continue working on scientific proof of a beings consciousness effecting other living beings consciousness (not in the womb)...
I think quantum mechanics will continue to open up our understanding of how all this works. Consciousness really does effect things, it's true...

A couple things that may interest you enough to look into:
The study of epigenetics, which is basically a whole field studying how one's consciousness or direct experience influences which portions of their DNA is exhibited and which is inhibited. How your own mind can control your genes.
[url]http://www.ehponline.org/members/2006/114-3/focus.html
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Also transfixed as far as consciousness affecting that of others you may want to start with plants as they have shown remarkable influence and responsiveness to the thoughts and intentions of humans around them (or even half way across the world) I'd recommend reading The Secret Life of Plants. I have it if you'd like to borrow. Whether you feel that plants hold a consciousness per se is of course up to you but it's a perception altering/eye opening read if it interests you.

A couple things that may interest you enough to look into:
The study of epigenetics, which is basically a whole field studying how one's consciousness or direct experience influences which portions of their DNA is exhibited and which is inhibited. How your own mind can control your genes.
http://www.ehponline.org/members/2006/114-3/focus.html

Also transfixed as far as consciousness affecting that of others you may want to start with plants as they have shown remarkable influence and responsiveness to the thoughts and intentions of humans around them (or even half way across the world) I'd recommend reading The Secret Life of Plants. I have it if you'd like to borrow. Whether you feel that plants hold a consciousness per se is of course up to you but it's a perception altering/eye opening read if it interests you.

Yeah I'd definitely be down for reading that. Thanks for the link, too.
I re-watched What the #$%@ Do We Know? the other day, and got to thinking about that whole part where they explain about consciousness effecting the crystalization of water molecules into different patterns based on different thoughts being directed at them, which if it is true, makes me wonder about that plant/consciosuness connection; what if consciousness wasn't actually affecting the plant per se, but simply the water inside the plant which is keeping it alive....?
I have no idea.
Just a thought.

And of course the same would apply to other animals and humans for that same reason. That may not be the only basis for such communication, but it would definitely seem like it would have a significant influence. Especially considering according to wiki "Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water. Blood contains 95% water, body fat contains 14% water and bone has 22% water.The human body is about 60% water in adult males and 55% in adult females." Over half of us! and 95% of the blood that nourishes every action, every muscle, every organ! how could that not have an influence??

It's funny though that you bring up the work of Masaru Emoto. A couple weeks ago I was looking back through his books in the store and the morning you posted this I was trying to explain the concepts to Delia. His work is phenomenal - if you haven't seen it or want to see more check it out. And a brief but interesting interview here. I need to watch What the Bleep again but Emoto's work has stuck out to me lately. Been trying to think how I might be able to integrate it into my schooling/thesis somehow... amazing regardless, and yes I feel that the influence alone on water has a great impact on how words, actions and thoughts/intentions affect our whole organism in a more subtle way.

Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if the same idea did apply to humans as well, I kinda always assumed that when it came to humans it was more of a consciousness-interaction scenario, which functioned because of the existence of both human possessing true consciousness, whereas plants do not. Though yeah, the water in our bodies would be responsive just as it would in the plants. I hadn't thought about it that way...

I'll definitely be looking more into the research of his studies. Speaking of which, have you seen the mythbusters episode where they try to "bust" the "myth" of consciousness affecting plants? Nearly all of the experiments they ran showed an actual electrical impulse change within the plants when they were sent "angry" or "violent" thoughts of being burned, cut etc...
As I recall, they didn't know what to make of it, so they labeled it "inconclusive" or something to that effect.

I caught part of that episode actually and from what I saw they simply recreated a couple of the experiments that are covered in The Secret Life of Plants. Funny that they called it "inconclusive", but reassuriing that they had the same results. The book covers a lot more and actually branches out into some of the implications.

I don't think the energetic patterning of water molecules is the only factor in humans, and a consciousness-interraction scenario seems pretty likely, I just feel like it's another factor that should maybe be taken into consideration when exploring these things. I also don't feel qualified to say whether the same consciousness factors apply to plants (the book is rather convincing)or just the water element so for now I remain agnostic on that front...

10-4.
I don't know either, but I hope to soon.