Randall Fontes
Encyclopedia
Randall G. Fontes is an American psychology
professional known particularly for his research in the fields of parapsychology
and psychophysics
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
(B.A.) in Psychology
and India
Studies in 1973 and in 1977 he was awarded a Master's degree
(M.A.) in Psychology from Sonoma State University
.
When he spent a semester studying Eastern Philosophy
in India in 1971 he met an Indian astrologer
who told him that in the future he would be conducting scientific research in the field of consciousness
.
Upon returning home in Spring of 1972 he was introduced to an IBM
Chemist
named Marcel Vogel
. After spending several hours of conversation Marcel said, “You are the person who will carry on my research into plants sensitivity and Human
Consciousness
”. Marcel gave Fontes all the equipment he needed to begin the work.
(California State University Hayward) as a guest researcher in the Biology
Department by Professor Dr. Norman Goldstein. The project was to research action potential
in the Algae
Nitella
, and the parenchama cells of the Mimosa pudica
to determine their sensitivity to various external stimuli.
" In the course of promoting the book, Fontes and Author Peter Tompkins appeared on radio and television shows such as the David Susskind Show, the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson
and the Encyclopædia Britannica’s Wild Science documentary series. He was featured in the popular documentary movie "The Secret Life of Plants (film)" directed by Walon Green
and musical sound track by Stevie Wonder
and album/CD called the “Journey through the Secret Life of Plants
”.
and Russell Targ
began research at SRI for the CIA-Initiated U.S. Government program to investigate paranormal abilities;. which eventually became, code name "Stargate Project
" a Remote Viewing
program. They applied for and received a research grant to probe plant sensitivity. In Fall of 1973 they brought Fontes to Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to conduct Plant and Human Consciousness Research, also known as “Primary Perception” or the “Backster Effect” discovered by Cleve Backster
a polygraph
expert who had worked for the CIA.
Fontes worked with Remote Viewers Ingo Swann
, Hella Hammid and Pat Price.
The product of this work culminated in a final report "Organic Biofield Sensor" by H. E. Puthoff and R. Fontes;. dated November 1975.
This Report supports the possibility that plants may respond to human consciousness as contended by Cleve Backster.Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
professional known particularly for his research in the fields of parapsychology
Parapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
and psychophysics
Psychophysics
Psychophysics quantitatively investigates the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they effect. Psychophysics has been described as "the scientific study of the relation between stimulus and sensation" or, more completely, as "the analysis of perceptual...
. He received a Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(B.A.) in Psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
Studies in 1973 and in 1977 he was awarded a Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(M.A.) in Psychology from Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University
Sonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
.
When he spent a semester studying Eastern Philosophy
Eastern philosophy
Eastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of Asia, including Chinese philosophy, Iranian philosophy, Japanese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Korean philosophy...
in India in 1971 he met an Indian astrologer
Astrologer
An astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
who told him that in the future he would be conducting scientific research in the field of consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
.
Upon returning home in Spring of 1972 he was introduced to an IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
Chemist
Chemist
A chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
named Marcel Vogel
Marcel Vogel
Marcel Joseph Vogel was a research scientist working at the IBM San Jose Advanced Systems Development Division Los Gatos Lab for some 27 years. He is sometimes referred to as Dr. Vogel, this title was an honorary doctoral degree, Ph.D..It is claimed that Vogel started his research into...
. After spending several hours of conversation Marcel said, “You are the person who will carry on my research into plants sensitivity and Human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
Consciousness
Consciousness
Consciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
”. Marcel gave Fontes all the equipment he needed to begin the work.
Research Begins
Fontes began his research at Sonoma State University with help from his adviser Professor Dr. David Van Nuys. In June 1973 he was invited to California State University, East BayCalifornia State University, East Bay
California State University, East Bay is a public university located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The university, as part of the 23-campus California State University system, offers over 100 areas of study...
(California State University Hayward) as a guest researcher in the Biology
Biology
Biology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
Department by Professor Dr. Norman Goldstein. The project was to research action potential
Action potential
In physiology, an action potential is a short-lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell rapidly rises and falls, following a consistent trajectory. Action potentials occur in several types of animal cells, called excitable cells, which include neurons, muscle cells, and...
in the Algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
Nitella
Nitella
Nitella is a genus of alga in the family Characeae.- Species :Some species in the genus include:* Nitella acuminata A. Braun ex Wallman* Nitella annandalei B.P. Pal* Nitella australiensis J.C. van Raam...
, and the parenchama cells of the Mimosa pudica
Mimosa pudica
Mimosa pudica , is a creeping annual or perennial herb often grown for its curiosity value: the compound leaves fold inward and droop when touched or shaken, re-opening minutes later...
to determine their sensitivity to various external stimuli.
The Secret Life of Plants
Fontes’ research was highlighted in the bestselling book "The Secret Life of PlantsThe Secret Life of Plants
The Secret Life of Plants is a book by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird, described as "A fascinating account of the physical, emotional, and spiritual relations between plants and man."...
" In the course of promoting the book, Fontes and Author Peter Tompkins appeared on radio and television shows such as the David Susskind Show, the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
and the Encyclopædia Britannica’s Wild Science documentary series. He was featured in the popular documentary movie "The Secret Life of Plants (film)" directed by Walon Green
Walon Green
Walon Green is an American documentary film director and screenwriter for both TV and films. He is currently the showrunner/executive producer for the USA Network television series, Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Career:...
and musical sound track by Stevie Wonder
Stevie Wonder
Stevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and album/CD called the “Journey through the Secret Life of Plants
Journey through the Secret Life of Plants
Stevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on the Tamla Motown label on October 30, 1979...
”.
Stanford Research Institute (SRI)
In the Fall of 1972 Dr. Harold E. PuthoffHarold E. Puthoff
Harold E. Puthoff is an American physicist who, earlier in his career was involved in research on paranormal topics. In 1967, Puthoff earned a Ph.D. from Stanford University...
and Russell Targ
Russell Targ
Russell Targ is an American physicist and author, an ESP researcher, and pioneer in the earliest development of the laser....
began research at SRI for the CIA-Initiated U.S. Government program to investigate paranormal abilities;. which eventually became, code name "Stargate Project
Stargate Project
The Stargate Project was the umbrella code name of one of several sub-projects established by the U.S. Federal Government to investigate claims of psychic phenomena with potential military and domestic applications, particularly "remote viewing": the purported ability to psychically "see" events,...
" a Remote Viewing
Remote viewing
Remote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
program. They applied for and received a research grant to probe plant sensitivity. In Fall of 1973 they brought Fontes to Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to conduct Plant and Human Consciousness Research, also known as “Primary Perception” or the “Backster Effect” discovered by Cleve Backster
Cleve Backster
Cleve Backster is a best known for his experiments with biocommunication in plant and animal cells using a polygraph machine in the 1960s which led to his theory of "primary perception." Backster began his career as an Interrogation Specialist with the CIA, and went on to become Chairman of the...
a polygraph
Polygraph
A polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
expert who had worked for the CIA.
Fontes worked with Remote Viewers Ingo Swann
Ingo Swann
Ingo Swann is an artist and author, best known for his work as a co-creator of the discipline of remote viewing, specifically the Stargate Project...
, Hella Hammid and Pat Price.
The product of this work culminated in a final report "Organic Biofield Sensor" by H. E. Puthoff and R. Fontes;. dated November 1975.
Organic Biofield Sensor
VI Summary and Conclusions
"The purpose of the investigation reported here was to assess the feasibility of the use of a special class of device (organic sensor) for real-time contactless measurement of psychological stress or other psychological or physiological state in a human subject being monitored. To this end special detectors were developed so that the electrical activity and micromovements of plants (PhilodendronPhilodendronPhilodendron is a large genus of flowering plants in the Araceae family, consisting of close to 900 or more species according to TROPICOS . Other sources quote different numbers of species. According to S.J. Mayo there are about 350-400 formally recognized species whereas according to Croat there...
oxycardium, Mimosa pudica) and algae (Nitella) could be monitored. The activity of these sensors while in close proximity to a human subject viewing slides of varying emotional content was then examined. The sensors were located inside Faraday cageFaraday cageA Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure formed by conducting material or by a mesh of such material. Such an enclosure blocks out external static and non-static electric fields...
electrical shielding to eliminate trivial electrical artifacts. To provide an objective indicator of emotional response during viewing, the subject's GSR (galvanic skin responseGalvanic skin responseSkin conductance, also known as galvanic skin response , electrodermal response , psychogalvanic reflex , skin conductance response or skin conductance level , is a method of measuring the electrical conductance of the skin, which varies with its moisture level...
) was recorded to provide a signal to cross-correlate with the organicOrganicOrganic may refer to:* Of or relating to an organism, a living entity* Of or relating to an organ- Chemistry :* Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or the product of decay, or is composed of organic compound* Organic chemistry, chemistry involving...
sensor output."
"Pilot experiments with the algae Nitella indicated that they were nonresponsive to the activity of human subjects in close proximity, and therefore experimentation with Nitella was terminated early in the program. With regard to plant sensors, however, experimental findings with twelve subjects indicated that the electrical activity of plants in close proximity to a human subject viewing slides of putative emotional content, although not in one-to-one correspondence with subject GSR, nevertheless did show in some cases (20%) statistically significant evidence of correlation with subject GSR.* Furthermore, such electrical activity is found not to be an artifact of plant micromotion, the latter being uncorrelated with either subject GSR or plant potential, nor is it a system artifact due to slide tray activity signals in the GSR channel. Thus, although we must reject the hypothesisHypothesisA hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
that subject GSR and plant potential fluctuations of a nearby electrically shielded plant are in general correlated, there is evidence for a degree of correlation beyond that expected by chance."
- Subject S-3: p < 4.2 X 10-4; p < 0.024, replication experiment.
Subject S-4: p < 0.038.
In Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
a hypothesis
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
was offered that may explain how this phenomenon
Phenomenon
A phenomenon , plural phenomena, is any observable occurrence. Phenomena are often, but not always, understood as 'appearances' or 'experiences'...
could occur:
“Dr. Harold Puthoff, a laserLaserA laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
physicistPhysicistA physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
at the Stanford Research Institute, surmises that the subatomic particleSubatomic particleIn physics or chemistry, subatomic particles are the smaller particles composing nucleons and atoms. There are two types of subatomic particles: elementary particles, which are not made of other particles, and composite particles...
known as a tachyonTachyonA tachyon is a hypothetical subatomic particle that always moves faster than light. In the language of special relativity, a tachyon would be a particle with space-like four-momentum and imaginary proper time. A tachyon would be constrained to the space-like portion of the energy-momentum graph...
may hold the answer. Tachyons, from the Greek meaning "swift," are supposed to travel faster than light. Postulated in 1967 by Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
physicist Gerald FeinbergGerald FeinbergGerald Feinberg was a Columbia University physicist, futurist and populist author. He spent a year as a Member of the Institute for Advanced Study, and two years at the Brookhaven Laboratories....
, they have so far not been experimentally detected.”
DeAnza College
From April 1977 through June 1981 Fontes taught Psychology 7, Introduction to ParapsychologyParapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
now cataloged as Psychology 57 at DeAnza College in Cupertino, California. This class taught the scientific approach to paranormal phenomena and was fully accredited and transferable to the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
.
The Exploratorium Science and Art Museum
In May 1987 Fontes, M.A. joined the staff of the ExploratoriumExploratorium
The Exploratorium is a museum in San Francisco with over 475 participatory exhibits, all of them made onsite, that mix science and art. It also aims to promote museums as informal education centers....
Science and Art Museum. In 1993 he became a “Life Sciences Project Designer” in the Biology department, under National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
funding. While working at the Exploratorium one program that he designed exhibits for was the Human Genome Project (HGP). This work was funded by the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
Genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
Program (DE-FG03-93ER61583).
The founder of the Exploratorium was Physicist Dr. Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Friedman Oppenheimer was an American physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, was a target of McCarthyism, and was later the founder of the Exploratorium in San Francisco. He was the younger brother of J...
who believed Science and Art should be experienced together as different views of the same truth; that they should be seen to reinforce each other.
In August 2000 Fontes began to independently focus his full attention to the integration of Science, Art and Spirit and for the last eight years he dedicated himself full time to the exploration and development of the Play of Light Meditation Experience.
Play of Light Meditation Experience
Kirby Seid introduced Marti Spiegelman to Fontes. She hosts Awakening Value on The VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network who interviewed him in January of 2010. Ms. Spiegelman says of Fontes' work:
“Randall’s current work, Art and Science in the Service of Spirit: A Journey into the Play of Light, rises from his botanical research in the ‘60s and the publication of The Secret Life of Plants. Randall’s research focused on the reaction of plants to human emotions, and expanded to research at the Stanford Research Institute on plant and human consciousness.
As the new millennium began, Randall’s work evolved to the integration of science, art, and spirit with his Play of Light Meditative Experience. As he describes it, ‘The Play of Light is about the beauty of light, of sound, and of form. As each of these is deeply resonant with the other, the underlying unity that they share is revealed within their dance, and can be realized through direct experience. Within this experience, the mind becomes still and spontaneous meditationMeditationMeditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
arises.”
Randall G. Fontes (born October 20, 1945) is an American psychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
professional known particularly for his research in the fields of parapsychologyParapsychologyThe term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
and psychophysicsPsychophysicsPsychophysics quantitatively investigates the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they effect. Psychophysics has been described as "the scientific study of the relation between stimulus and sensation" or, more completely, as "the analysis of perceptual...
. He received a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(B.A.) in PsychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
Studies in 1973 and in 1977 he was awarded a Master's degreeMaster's degreeA master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(M.A.) in Psychology from Sonoma State UniversitySonoma State UniversitySonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
.
When he spent a semester studying Eastern PhilosophyEastern philosophyEastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of Asia, including Chinese philosophy, Iranian philosophy, Japanese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Korean philosophy...
in India in 1971 he met an Indian astrologerAstrologerAn astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
who told him that in the future he would be conducting scientific research in the field of consciousnessConsciousnessConsciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
.
Upon returning home in Spring of 1972 he was introduced to an IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
ChemistChemistA chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
named Marcel VogelMarcel VogelMarcel Joseph Vogel was a research scientist working at the IBM San Jose Advanced Systems Development Division Los Gatos Lab for some 27 years. He is sometimes referred to as Dr. Vogel, this title was an honorary doctoral degree, Ph.D..It is claimed that Vogel started his research into...
. After spending several hours of conversation Marcel said, “You are the person who will carry on my research into plants sensitivity and HumanHumanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
ConsciousnessConsciousnessConsciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
”. Marcel gave Fontes all the equipment he needed to begin the work.
Research Begins
Fontes began his research at Sonoma State University with help from his adviser Professor Dr. David Van Nuys. In June 1973 he was invited to California State University, East BayCalifornia State University, East BayCalifornia State University, East Bay is a public university located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The university, as part of the 23-campus California State University system, offers over 100 areas of study...
(California State University Hayward) as a guest researcher in the BiologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
Department by Professor Dr. Norman Goldstein. The project was to research action potentialAction potentialIn physiology, an action potential is a short-lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell rapidly rises and falls, following a consistent trajectory. Action potentials occur in several types of animal cells, called excitable cells, which include neurons, muscle cells, and...
in the AlgaeAlgaeAlgae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
NitellaNitellaNitella is a genus of alga in the family Characeae.- Species :Some species in the genus include:* Nitella acuminata A. Braun ex Wallman* Nitella annandalei B.P. Pal* Nitella australiensis J.C. van Raam...
, and the parenchama cells of the Mimosa pudicaMimosa pudicaMimosa pudica , is a creeping annual or perennial herb often grown for its curiosity value: the compound leaves fold inward and droop when touched or shaken, re-opening minutes later...
to determine their sensitivity to various external stimuli.
The Secret Life of Plants
Fontes’ research was highlighted in the bestselling book "The Secret Life of PlantsThe Secret Life of PlantsThe Secret Life of Plants is a book by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird, described as "A fascinating account of the physical, emotional, and spiritual relations between plants and man."...
" In the course of promoting the book, Fontes and Author Peter Tompkins appeared on radio and television shows such as the David Susskind Show, the Tonight Show starring Johnny CarsonThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
and the Encyclopædia Britannica’s Wild Science documentary series. He was featured in the popular documentary movie "The Secret Life of Plants (film)" directed by Walon GreenWalon GreenWalon Green is an American documentary film director and screenwriter for both TV and films. He is currently the showrunner/executive producer for the USA Network television series, Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Career:...
and musical sound track by Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and album/CD called the “Journey through the Secret Life of PlantsJourney through the Secret Life of PlantsStevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on the Tamla Motown label on October 30, 1979...
”.
Stanford Research Institute (SRI)
In the Fall of 1972 Dr. Harold E. PuthoffHarold E. PuthoffHarold E. Puthoff is an American physicist who, earlier in his career was involved in research on paranormal topics. In 1967, Puthoff earned a Ph.D. from Stanford University...
and Russell TargRussell TargRussell Targ is an American physicist and author, an ESP researcher, and pioneer in the earliest development of the laser....
began research at SRI for the CIA-Initiated U.S. Government program to investigate paranormal abilities;. which eventually became, code name "Stargate ProjectStargate ProjectThe Stargate Project was the umbrella code name of one of several sub-projects established by the U.S. Federal Government to investigate claims of psychic phenomena with potential military and domestic applications, particularly "remote viewing": the purported ability to psychically "see" events,...
" a Remote ViewingRemote viewingRemote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
program. They applied for and received a research grant to probe plant sensitivity. In Fall of 1973 they brought Fontes to Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to conduct Plant and Human Consciousness Research, also known as “Primary Perception” or the “Backster Effect” discovered by Cleve BacksterCleve BacksterCleve Backster is a best known for his experiments with biocommunication in plant and animal cells using a polygraph machine in the 1960s which led to his theory of "primary perception." Backster began his career as an Interrogation Specialist with the CIA, and went on to become Chairman of the...
a polygraphPolygraphA polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
expert who had worked for the CIA.
Fontes worked with Remote Viewers Ingo SwannIngo SwannIngo Swann is an artist and author, best known for his work as a co-creator of the discipline of remote viewing, specifically the Stargate Project...
, Hella Hammid and Pat Price.
The product of this work culminated in a final report "Organic Biofield Sensor" by H. E. Puthoff and R. Fontes;. dated November 1975.
Organic Biofield Sensor
VI Summary and Conclusions
"The purpose of the investigation reported here was to assess the feasibility of the use of a special class of device (organic sensor) for real-time contactless measurement of psychological stress or other psychological or physiological state in a human subject being monitored. To this end special detectors were developed so that the electrical activity and micromovements of plants (PhilodendronPhilodendronPhilodendron is a large genus of flowering plants in the Araceae family, consisting of close to 900 or more species according to TROPICOS . Other sources quote different numbers of species. According to S.J. Mayo there are about 350-400 formally recognized species whereas according to Croat there...
oxycardium, Mimosa pudica) and algae (Nitella) could be monitored. The activity of these sensors while in close proximity to a human subject viewing slides of varying emotional content was then examined. The sensors were located inside Faraday cageFaraday cageA Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure formed by conducting material or by a mesh of such material. Such an enclosure blocks out external static and non-static electric fields...
electrical shielding to eliminate trivial electrical artifacts. To provide an objective indicator of emotional response during viewing, the subject's GSR (galvanic skin responseGalvanic skin responseSkin conductance, also known as galvanic skin response , electrodermal response , psychogalvanic reflex , skin conductance response or skin conductance level , is a method of measuring the electrical conductance of the skin, which varies with its moisture level...
) was recorded to provide a signal to cross-correlate with the organicOrganicOrganic may refer to:* Of or relating to an organism, a living entity* Of or relating to an organ- Chemistry :* Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or the product of decay, or is composed of organic compound* Organic chemistry, chemistry involving...
sensor output."
"Pilot experiments with the algae Nitella indicated that they were nonresponsive to the activity of human subjects in close proximity, and therefore experimentation with Nitella was terminated early in the program. With regard to plant sensors, however, experimental findings with twelve subjects indicated that the electrical activity of plants in close proximity to a human subject viewing slides of putative emotional content, although not in one-to-one correspondence with subject GSR, nevertheless did show in some cases (20%) statistically significant evidence of correlation with subject GSR.* Furthermore, such electrical activity is found not to be an artifact of plant micromotion, the latter being uncorrelated with either subject GSR or plant potential, nor is it a system artifact due to slide tray activity signals in the GSR channel. Thus, although we must reject the hypothesisHypothesisA hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
that subject GSR and plant potential fluctuations of a nearby electrically shielded plant are in general correlated, there is evidence for a degree of correlation beyond that expected by chance."
- Subject S-3: p < 4.2 X 10-4; p < 0.024, replication experiment.
Subject S-4: p < 0.038.
In Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
a hypothesis
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
was offered that may explain how this phenomenon
Phenomenon
A phenomenon , plural phenomena, is any observable occurrence. Phenomena are often, but not always, understood as 'appearances' or 'experiences'...
could occur:
“Dr. Harold Puthoff, a laserLaserA laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
physicistPhysicistA physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
at the Stanford Research Institute, surmises that the subatomic particleSubatomic particleIn physics or chemistry, subatomic particles are the smaller particles composing nucleons and atoms. There are two types of subatomic particles: elementary particles, which are not made of other particles, and composite particles...
known as a tachyonTachyonA tachyon is a hypothetical subatomic particle that always moves faster than light. In the language of special relativity, a tachyon would be a particle with space-like four-momentum and imaginary proper time. A tachyon would be constrained to the space-like portion of the energy-momentum graph...
may hold the answer. Tachyons, from the Greek meaning "swift," are supposed to travel faster than light. Postulated in 1967 by Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
physicist Gerald FeinbergGerald FeinbergGerald Feinberg was a Columbia University physicist, futurist and populist author. He spent a year as a Member of the Institute for Advanced Study, and two years at the Brookhaven Laboratories....
, they have so far not been experimentally detected.”
DeAnza College
From April 1977 through June 1981 Fontes taught Psychology 7, Introduction to ParapsychologyParapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
now cataloged as Psychology 57 at DeAnza College in Cupertino, California. This class taught the scientific approach to paranormal phenomena and was fully accredited and transferable to the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
.
The Exploratorium Science and Art Museum
In May 1987 Fontes, M.A. joined the staff of the ExploratoriumExploratorium
The Exploratorium is a museum in San Francisco with over 475 participatory exhibits, all of them made onsite, that mix science and art. It also aims to promote museums as informal education centers....
Science and Art Museum. In 1993 he became a “Life Sciences Project Designer” in the Biology department, under National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
funding. While working at the Exploratorium one program that he designed exhibits for was the Human Genome Project (HGP). This work was funded by the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
Genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
Program (DE-FG03-93ER61583).
The founder of the Exploratorium was Physicist Dr. Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Friedman Oppenheimer was an American physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, was a target of McCarthyism, and was later the founder of the Exploratorium in San Francisco. He was the younger brother of J...
who believed Science and Art should be experienced together as different views of the same truth; that they should be seen to reinforce each other.
In August 2000 Fontes began to independently focus his full attention to the integration of Science, Art and Spirit and for the last eight years he dedicated himself full time to the exploration and development of the Play of Light Meditation Experience.
Play of Light Meditation Experience
Kirby Seid introduced Marti Spiegelman to Fontes. She hosts Awakening Value on The VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network who interviewed him in January of 2010. Ms. Spiegelman says of Fontes' work:
“Randall’s current work, Art and Science in the Service of Spirit: A Journey into the Play of Light, rises from his botanical research in the ‘60s and the publication of The Secret Life of Plants. Randall’s research focused on the reaction of plants to human emotions, and expanded to research at the Stanford Research Institute on plant and human consciousness.
As the new millennium began, Randall’s work evolved to the integration of science, art, and spirit with his Play of Light Meditative Experience. As he describes it, ‘The Play of Light is about the beauty of light, of sound, and of form. As each of these is deeply resonant with the other, the underlying unity that they share is revealed within their dance, and can be realized through direct experience. Within this experience, the mind becomes still and spontaneous meditationMeditationMeditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
arises.”
Randall G. Fontes (born October 20, 1945) is an American psychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
professional known particularly for his research in the fields of parapsychologyParapsychologyThe term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
and psychophysicsPsychophysicsPsychophysics quantitatively investigates the relationship between physical stimuli and the sensations and perceptions they effect. Psychophysics has been described as "the scientific study of the relation between stimulus and sensation" or, more completely, as "the analysis of perceptual...
. He received a Bachelor of ArtsBachelor of ArtsA Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(B.A.) in PsychologyPsychologyPsychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
and IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
Studies in 1973 and in 1977 he was awarded a Master's degreeMaster's degreeA master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
(M.A.) in Psychology from Sonoma State UniversitySonoma State UniversitySonoma State University is a public, coeducational business and liberal arts college affiliated with the California State University system. The main campus is located in Rohnert Park, California, United States and lies approximately south of Santa Rosa and north of San Francisco...
.
When he spent a semester studying Eastern PhilosophyEastern philosophyEastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of Asia, including Chinese philosophy, Iranian philosophy, Japanese philosophy, Indian philosophy and Korean philosophy...
in India in 1971 he met an Indian astrologerAstrologerAn astrologer practices one or more forms of astrology. Typically an astrologer draws a horoscope for the time of an event, such as a person's birth, and interprets celestial points and their placements at the time of the event to better understand someone, determine the auspiciousness of an...
who told him that in the future he would be conducting scientific research in the field of consciousnessConsciousnessConsciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
.
Upon returning home in Spring of 1972 he was introduced to an IBMIBMInternational Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
ChemistChemistA chemist is a scientist trained in the study of chemistry. Chemists study the composition of matter and its properties such as density and acidity. Chemists carefully describe the properties they study in terms of quantities, with detail on the level of molecules and their component atoms...
named Marcel VogelMarcel VogelMarcel Joseph Vogel was a research scientist working at the IBM San Jose Advanced Systems Development Division Los Gatos Lab for some 27 years. He is sometimes referred to as Dr. Vogel, this title was an honorary doctoral degree, Ph.D..It is claimed that Vogel started his research into...
. After spending several hours of conversation Marcel said, “You are the person who will carry on my research into plants sensitivity and HumanHumanHumans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
ConsciousnessConsciousnessConsciousness is a term that refers to the relationship between the mind and the world with which it interacts. It has been defined as: subjectivity, awareness, the ability to experience or to feel, wakefulness, having a sense of selfhood, and the executive control system of the mind...
”. Marcel gave Fontes all the equipment he needed to begin the work.
Research Begins
Fontes began his research at Sonoma State University with help from his adviser Professor Dr. David Van Nuys. In June 1973 he was invited to California State University, East BayCalifornia State University, East BayCalifornia State University, East Bay is a public university located in the eastern region of the San Francisco Bay Area. The university, as part of the 23-campus California State University system, offers over 100 areas of study...
(California State University Hayward) as a guest researcher in the BiologyBiologyBiology is a natural science concerned with the study of life and living organisms, including their structure, function, growth, origin, evolution, distribution, and taxonomy. Biology is a vast subject containing many subdivisions, topics, and disciplines...
Department by Professor Dr. Norman Goldstein. The project was to research action potentialAction potentialIn physiology, an action potential is a short-lasting event in which the electrical membrane potential of a cell rapidly rises and falls, following a consistent trajectory. Action potentials occur in several types of animal cells, called excitable cells, which include neurons, muscle cells, and...
in the AlgaeAlgaeAlgae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
NitellaNitellaNitella is a genus of alga in the family Characeae.- Species :Some species in the genus include:* Nitella acuminata A. Braun ex Wallman* Nitella annandalei B.P. Pal* Nitella australiensis J.C. van Raam...
, and the parenchama cells of the Mimosa pudicaMimosa pudicaMimosa pudica , is a creeping annual or perennial herb often grown for its curiosity value: the compound leaves fold inward and droop when touched or shaken, re-opening minutes later...
to determine their sensitivity to various external stimuli.
The Secret Life of Plants
Fontes’ research was highlighted in the bestselling book "The Secret Life of PlantsThe Secret Life of PlantsThe Secret Life of Plants is a book by Peter Tompkins and Christopher Bird, described as "A fascinating account of the physical, emotional, and spiritual relations between plants and man."...
" In the course of promoting the book, Fontes and Author Peter Tompkins appeared on radio and television shows such as the David Susskind Show, the Tonight Show starring Johnny CarsonThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny CarsonThe Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson is a talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the Tonight Show franchise from 1962 to 1992. It originally aired during late-night....
and the Encyclopædia Britannica’s Wild Science documentary series. He was featured in the popular documentary movie "The Secret Life of Plants (film)" directed by Walon GreenWalon GreenWalon Green is an American documentary film director and screenwriter for both TV and films. He is currently the showrunner/executive producer for the USA Network television series, Law & Order: Criminal Intent.-Career:...
and musical sound track by Stevie WonderStevie WonderStevland Hardaway Morris , better known by his stage name Stevie Wonder, is an American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, record producer and activist...
and album/CD called the “Journey through the Secret Life of PlantsJourney through the Secret Life of PlantsStevie Wonder's Journey Through "The Secret Life of Plants" is an album by Stevie Wonder, originally released on the Tamla Motown label on October 30, 1979...
”.
Stanford Research Institute (SRI)
In the Fall of 1972 Dr. Harold E. PuthoffHarold E. PuthoffHarold E. Puthoff is an American physicist who, earlier in his career was involved in research on paranormal topics. In 1967, Puthoff earned a Ph.D. from Stanford University...
and Russell TargRussell TargRussell Targ is an American physicist and author, an ESP researcher, and pioneer in the earliest development of the laser....
began research at SRI for the CIA-Initiated U.S. Government program to investigate paranormal abilities;. which eventually became, code name "Stargate ProjectStargate ProjectThe Stargate Project was the umbrella code name of one of several sub-projects established by the U.S. Federal Government to investigate claims of psychic phenomena with potential military and domestic applications, particularly "remote viewing": the purported ability to psychically "see" events,...
" a Remote ViewingRemote viewingRemote viewing is the practice of seeking impressions about a distant or unseen target using paranormal means, in particular, extra-sensory perception or "sensing with mind"...
program. They applied for and received a research grant to probe plant sensitivity. In Fall of 1973 they brought Fontes to Stanford Research Institute (SRI) to conduct Plant and Human Consciousness Research, also known as “Primary Perception” or the “Backster Effect” discovered by Cleve BacksterCleve BacksterCleve Backster is a best known for his experiments with biocommunication in plant and animal cells using a polygraph machine in the 1960s which led to his theory of "primary perception." Backster began his career as an Interrogation Specialist with the CIA, and went on to become Chairman of the...
a polygraphPolygraphA polygraph measures and records several physiological indices such as blood pressure, pulse, respiration, and skin conductivity while the subject is asked and answers a series of questions...
expert who had worked for the CIA.
Fontes worked with Remote Viewers Ingo SwannIngo SwannIngo Swann is an artist and author, best known for his work as a co-creator of the discipline of remote viewing, specifically the Stargate Project...
, Hella Hammid and Pat Price.
The product of this work culminated in a final report "Organic Biofield Sensor" by H. E. Puthoff and R. Fontes;. dated November 1975.
Organic Biofield Sensor
VI Summary and Conclusions
"The purpose of the investigation reported here was to assess the feasibility of the use of a special class of device (organic sensor) for real-time contactless measurement of psychological stress or other psychological or physiological state in a human subject being monitored. To this end special detectors were developed so that the electrical activity and micromovements of plants (PhilodendronPhilodendronPhilodendron is a large genus of flowering plants in the Araceae family, consisting of close to 900 or more species according to TROPICOS . Other sources quote different numbers of species. According to S.J. Mayo there are about 350-400 formally recognized species whereas according to Croat there...
oxycardium, Mimosa pudica) and algae (Nitella) could be monitored. The activity of these sensors while in close proximity to a human subject viewing slides of varying emotional content was then examined. The sensors were located inside Faraday cageFaraday cageA Faraday cage or Faraday shield is an enclosure formed by conducting material or by a mesh of such material. Such an enclosure blocks out external static and non-static electric fields...
electrical shielding to eliminate trivial electrical artifacts. To provide an objective indicator of emotional response during viewing, the subject's GSR (galvanic skin responseGalvanic skin responseSkin conductance, also known as galvanic skin response , electrodermal response , psychogalvanic reflex , skin conductance response or skin conductance level , is a method of measuring the electrical conductance of the skin, which varies with its moisture level...
) was recorded to provide a signal to cross-correlate with the organicOrganicOrganic may refer to:* Of or relating to an organism, a living entity* Of or relating to an organ- Chemistry :* Organic matter, matter that has come from a once-living organism, is capable of decay or the product of decay, or is composed of organic compound* Organic chemistry, chemistry involving...
sensor output."
"Pilot experiments with the algae Nitella indicated that they were nonresponsive to the activity of human subjects in close proximity, and therefore experimentation with Nitella was terminated early in the program. With regard to plant sensors, however, experimental findings with twelve subjects indicated that the electrical activity of plants in close proximity to a human subject viewing slides of putative emotional content, although not in one-to-one correspondence with subject GSR, nevertheless did show in some cases (20%) statistically significant evidence of correlation with subject GSR.* Furthermore, such electrical activity is found not to be an artifact of plant micromotion, the latter being uncorrelated with either subject GSR or plant potential, nor is it a system artifact due to slide tray activity signals in the GSR channel. Thus, although we must reject the hypothesisHypothesisA hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
that subject GSR and plant potential fluctuations of a nearby electrically shielded plant are in general correlated, there is evidence for a degree of correlation beyond that expected by chance."
- Subject S-3: p < 4.2 X 10-4; p < 0.024, replication experiment.
Subject S-4: p < 0.038.
In Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine
Harper's Magazine is a monthly magazine of literature, politics, culture, finance, and the arts, with a generally left-wing perspective. It is the second-oldest continuously published monthly magazine in the U.S. . The current editor is Ellen Rosenbush, who replaced Roger Hodge in January 2010...
a hypothesis
Hypothesis
A hypothesis is a proposed explanation for a phenomenon. The term derives from the Greek, ὑποτιθέναι – hypotithenai meaning "to put under" or "to suppose". For a hypothesis to be put forward as a scientific hypothesis, the scientific method requires that one can test it...
was offered that may explain how this phenomenon
Phenomenon
A phenomenon , plural phenomena, is any observable occurrence. Phenomena are often, but not always, understood as 'appearances' or 'experiences'...
could occur:
“Dr. Harold Puthoff, a laserLaserA laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
physicistPhysicistA physicist is a scientist who studies or practices physics. Physicists study a wide range of physical phenomena in many branches of physics spanning all length scales: from sub-atomic particles of which all ordinary matter is made to the behavior of the material Universe as a whole...
at the Stanford Research Institute, surmises that the subatomic particleSubatomic particleIn physics or chemistry, subatomic particles are the smaller particles composing nucleons and atoms. There are two types of subatomic particles: elementary particles, which are not made of other particles, and composite particles...
known as a tachyonTachyonA tachyon is a hypothetical subatomic particle that always moves faster than light. In the language of special relativity, a tachyon would be a particle with space-like four-momentum and imaginary proper time. A tachyon would be constrained to the space-like portion of the energy-momentum graph...
may hold the answer. Tachyons, from the Greek meaning "swift," are supposed to travel faster than light. Postulated in 1967 by Columbia UniversityColumbia UniversityColumbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
physicist Gerald FeinbergGerald FeinbergGerald Feinberg was a Columbia University physicist, futurist and populist author. He spent a year as a Member of the Institute for Advanced Study, and two years at the Brookhaven Laboratories....
, they have so far not been experimentally detected.”
DeAnza College
From April 1977 through June 1981 Fontes taught Psychology 7, Introduction to ParapsychologyParapsychology
The term parapsychology was coined in or around 1889 by philosopher Max Dessoir, and originates from para meaning "alongside", and psychology. The term was adopted by J.B. Rhine in the 1930s as a replacement for the term psychical research...
now cataloged as Psychology 57 at DeAnza College in Cupertino, California. This class taught the scientific approach to paranormal phenomena and was fully accredited and transferable to the University of California
University of California
The University of California is a public university system in the U.S. state of California. Under the California Master Plan for Higher Education, the University of California is a part of the state's three-tier public higher education system, which also includes the California State University...
.
The Exploratorium Science and Art Museum
In May 1987 Fontes, M.A. joined the staff of the ExploratoriumExploratorium
The Exploratorium is a museum in San Francisco with over 475 participatory exhibits, all of them made onsite, that mix science and art. It also aims to promote museums as informal education centers....
Science and Art Museum. In 1993 he became a “Life Sciences Project Designer” in the Biology department, under National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
funding. While working at the Exploratorium one program that he designed exhibits for was the Human Genome Project (HGP). This work was funded by the United States Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Oak Ridge National Laboratory is a multiprogram science and technology national laboratory managed for the United States Department of Energy by UT-Battelle. ORNL is the DOE's largest science and energy laboratory. ORNL is located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, near Knoxville...
Genome
Genome
In modern molecular biology and genetics, the genome is the entirety of an organism's hereditary information. It is encoded either in DNA or, for many types of virus, in RNA. The genome includes both the genes and the non-coding sequences of the DNA/RNA....
Program (DE-FG03-93ER61583).
The founder of the Exploratorium was Physicist Dr. Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Friedman Oppenheimer was an American physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, was a target of McCarthyism, and was later the founder of the Exploratorium in San Francisco. He was the younger brother of J...
who believed Science and Art should be experienced together as different views of the same truth; that they should be seen to reinforce each other.
In August 2000 Fontes began to independently focus his full attention to the integration of Science, Art and Spirit and for the last eight years he dedicated himself full time to the exploration and development of the Play of Light Meditation Experience.
Play of Light Meditation Experience
Kirby Seid introduced Marti Spiegelman to Fontes. She hosts Awakening Value on The VoiceAmerica Talk Radio Network who interviewed him in January of 2010. Ms. Spiegelman says of Fontes' work:
“Randall’s current work, Art and Science in the Service of Spirit: A Journey into the Play of Light, rises from his botanical research in the ‘60s and the publication of The Secret Life of Plants. Randall’s research focused on the reaction of plants to human emotions, and expanded to research at the Stanford Research Institute on plant and human consciousness.
As the new millennium began, Randall’s work evolved to the integration of science, art, and spirit with his Play of Light Meditative Experience. As he describes it, ‘The Play of Light is about the beauty of light, of sound, and of form. As each of these is deeply resonant with the other, the underlying unity that they share is revealed within their dance, and can be realized through direct experience. Within this experience, the mind becomes still and spontaneous meditationMeditationMeditation is any form of a family of practices in which practitioners train their minds or self-induce a mode of consciousness to realize some benefit....
arises.”Listen Now »
See also
- Randall Fontes - From the Secret Life of Plants to The Play of Light
- Plant perception (paranormal)
Plant perception (paranormal)Plant perception or biocommunication may denote not only that plants are sentient - they can certainly communicate through chemical signals and have complex responses to stimuli - but that may respond to humans in a manner that amounts to ESP and that may be interpreted as experience of pain and...- Jagdish Chandra Bose#Plant research