What if consciousness was not created by the brain, but merely processed by it?
That single question flips our understanding of life upside down. It suggests that consciousness could be as fundamental as gravity or light, woven into the very fabric of the universe.
Recent Advances in Science Shed New Light on the Origins of Consciousness
Consciousness remains one of the greatest mysteries of the universe. However, these last years, science has come closer to understanding what makes us conscious beings – in other words, beings reporting inner subjective experiences – and recent discoveries hold great promise, both for our understanding of life and for the possible future they open up. While the question of the origin of consciousness has never generated so much enthusiasm in the scientific community and in the general public, we have selected three major discoveries from the past few weeks. Each one offers a glimpse into how consciousness might be more profound and ubiquitous than we previously thought.
A Key Actor in the Consciousness: the Thalamus
For a long time, neuroscience has attributed the origin of consciousness and perception to the cerebral cortex. However, a pioneering study led by the Beijing Normal University is challenging this paradigm. By observing electric signals in the human brain using electrode implants (as part of a treatment for persistent headaches), scientists have shown that some structures located deep within the brain, namely, the high-order thalamic nuclei, become active before the prefrontal cortex when consciousness arises [1, 2].
This confirms that consciousness is not just about rational thoughts but also relies on a complex orchestration of deep regions inside the brain, some of which have largely been ignored until now. Such a breakthrough not only refines our understanding of the human brain but also opens up new perspectives for treating disorders of consciousness and designing more intuitive brain-machine interfaces.
What if Babies and Fetuses Were Already Conscious?
In other breaking news, consciousness would not be restricted to waking adults. Recent studies show that newborn babies – and even late-gestation fetuses – exhibit signs that are compatible with some form of consciousness. Researcher Joel Frohlich and his team have identified a subtle yet consistent set of markers in five-month-old babies, including activity of the default mode network (a network of brain regions related to introspection that is active when you are at rest), the ability to detect complex auditory patterns, and responses to stimuli [3, 4].
Even more intriguingly, experiments have shown that fetuses react to luminous shapes resembling human faces that are projected through the uterine wall. This sensitivity suggests that certain forms of conscious experience appear long before birth. Such an idea, which has long been marginalized, is now being seriously considered by modern neuroscience – and this changes everything. It aligns with a more global, more continuous and perhaps more empathetic view of human consciousness.
May Consciousness Happen at the Very Heart of Matter?
Finally, a bold hypothesis has recently gained credibility: what if consciousness was not created by the brain, but merely processed by it? This possibility is supported by scientists such as Stuart Hameroff and Roger Penrose. According to their Orchestrated objective reduction theory (Orch-OR), consciousness would be a fundamental property of the universe, comparable to an omnipresent quantum field that interacts with very specific structures inside our cells: microtubules [5].
The discovery of similar molecules inside the Bennu asteroid [6], recently studied by the OSIRIS-Rex mission, revives this hypothesis. Scientists have identified organic, ring-shape molecules similar to those found in brain cells that are theoretically able to undergo quantum resonance. This would mean that the conditions for creating “sparks of consciousness” existed long before life appeared on Earth.
If confirmed, this could change not only our conception of consciousness, but also remind us that we are part of a universe traversed by vibrations, resonances, and perhaps even a diffuse form of consciousness.
Toward a More Connected World
Although the above discoveries may sound disparate at first glance, they all point toward a deeper, more unified, understanding of consciousness. They suggest that consciousness may not begin abruptly, nor be limited to intellect alone. From hidden regions of the brain to the first signs of awareness in early life, and even to molecular structures from space, each finding indicates that consciousness may be more gradual and more deeply embedded in nature than we once believed.
Such discoveries can only strengthen our admiration for the mystery and complexity of life, reminding us that everything in the universe is connected. They may also encourage us to look at this mystery with greater kindness and curiosity.
SOURCE
[1] https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adr3675
[2] https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-01021-2
[3] https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/we-may-have-to-rethink-consciousness-completely-heres-why
[4] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/apa.17449
[5] https://www.popularmechanics.com/space/solar-system/a63627693/bennu-life/
[6] https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/a64409163/consciousness-before-life-asteroid-bennu/
