Why We Must Consider Even Tiny Bits of Evidence to Make Sense of the Unconventional and the Metaphysical, The Hidden Iceberg Beneath Our Lives: In the Ocean of Ignorance, Every Drop of Knowledge Counts
From Drops of Knowledge to Oceans of Discovery
In a recent conversation within my new superlearners community, a group that mostly includes people from my generation, though a few younger members have recently joined, a spirited debate arose about intuition.
One of the younger participants challenged me, insisting that intuition has no scientific basis and that psychic abilities do not definitely exist. When I asked what convinced him, he cited a study of three thousand people that, he claimed, showed no evidence whatsoever.
His certainty struck me with a sense of déjà vu. I had read and carefully analyzed that very paper for my clients. On a personal level, his skepticism brought back memories of another time I was dismissed for embracing ideas ahead of their time.
Over the last three decades, starting with bulletin boards and later joining Reddit communities, in several online health and longevity forums, moderators, acting as self-appointed gatekeepers, decided that my perspectives on meditation and fasting were unscientific, even dangerous.
Their solution was simple: they banned my account for life from my favorite Reddit health, longevity, and transhumanism communities.
Experiencing this kind of exclusion could have silenced inexperienced scientists or science communicators, but instead, it gave me a poignant and empowering clarity.
Artificial bans cannot stop a scientific or creative voice determined to ask difficult questions and help others grow. Fortunately, platforms like Medium, Substack, and Patreon offer a different environment, one that values curiosity, open-mindedness, and respectful exploration.
Here, I can connect with a broad audience ready to reconsider what counts as evidence and how science truly moves forward, bridging spirituality, metaphysics, and parapsychology as emerging disciplines.
Why Small Clues Matter in Science
Science is built on the willingness to observe, test, and question, even when answers are unclear or results do not fit prevailing wisdom.
Yet, when it comes to unconventional or metaphysical phenomena, it is common to hear that “there is no evidence,” closing the conversation before it can begin.
However, history shows that new paradigms often start with single, small clues, anomalous findings, or incremental shifts that invite curiosity and careful scrutiny.
If we aim to understand the broadest possible reality, we must stay open, rigorous, and honest, especially with subtle findings.
The Pilot Study: A Rigorous Exploration of Psychic Genetics
As I have a great interest in genetics and genes in the human brain within healthspan and lifespan, I read scholarly papers in this discipline and inform my clients in the healthcare sector. A 2021 case-control study, published in Elsevier’s EXPLORE, illustrates this approach.
As these researchers know that many cognitive and perceptual abilities are associated with genetic factors, they screened over 3,000 individuals worldwide using two online surveys to identify people who reported psychic abilities running in their families.
But not all candidates qualified for “Genetics of psychic ability — A pilot case-control exome sequencing study”, as this nuance was missed by the mainstream headlines and misled the public.
Candidates underwent detailed psychological screening, including tests for empathy, absorption, and schizotypy, with those showing signs of psychosis or delusion excluded.
Ultimately, 13 individuals were selected as “psychic cases”, with ten age-, sex-, and ethnicity-matched controls (individuals with no claims of psychic ability), each undergoing saliva-based whole-exome DNA sequencing.
To ensure objectivity, two independent, blinded bioinformatics analyses were conducted, one focused on protein-coding sequences, and the other included adjacent noncoding regions. After quality control, all but one control sample were successfully sequenced.
The primary outcome: No differences in protein-coding (exonic) DNA sequences were found between groups. However, a single-nucleotide variant , a change from “GG” to “GA” in the intronic region next to an exon in the TNRC18 gene, was identified in 7 of 9 controls, but in none of the psychiatric cases.
The study did not claim that this variant explains psychic ability. It interpreted the result conservatively, noting that such findings could arise by chance, especially in exploratory samples.
Nevertheless, the rigor of the screening process and careful matching lend weight to the observation.
In the context of modern molecular genetics, it is now clear that even intronic regions, once dismissed as “junk DNA,” can influence how genes are regulated and expressed — sometimes affecting complex traits in subtle ways.
Molecular Genetics: Small Changes, Big Possibilities
Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are tiny changes in the DNA sequence that can have a range of effects from none at all to shaping gene regulation, RNA splicing, or expression patterns.
Intronic SNPs are increasingly recognized for their roles in gene function. In this study, the TNRC18 gene, while not yet well characterized in neuroscience, emerges as a potential candidate for further research due to its preliminary association.
As science advances, our appreciation for subtle regulatory variations continues to grow.
Lessons from History: Progress Born of Anomaly
The history of science is filled with discoveries that started as overlooked details. X-rays, the structure of DNA, and the existence of “jumping genes” all began with results dismissed as unlikely or irrelevant.
Over time, persistent investigation into these anomalies produced revolutions in medicine, biology, and physics.
Every “accepted fact” once stood as a single, unreplicated clue until curiosity and methodical inquiry revealed its value.
Rigor, Replication, and Open Inquiry
Caution is always warranted.
Small-sample findings can be statistical flukes, and the possibility of noise or false positives must be confronted.
In this sample study, the authors themselves call for replication in larger, independent cohorts and for more mechanistic studies to determine whether this SNP in TNRC18 has any biological relevance.
This is how science should proceed: with humility, transparency, and a commitment to rigor.
Interestingly, one of the authors of this cited study is Dr Dean Radin, who scientifically studies magic, giving us valuable insights for future research.
Intuition: The Uncharted Force in Decision-Making
While this study centers on psychic ability, it also raises broader questions about human perception and the origins of intuition.
Scientific literature offers no definitive answer about where intuition comes from, how it operates in the brain, or whether it can be reliably measured and replicated.
Research into intuition is still emerging, with debates about whether it arises from unconscious pattern recognition, rapid cognitive processing, or other neural dynamics.
Despite these uncertainties, intuition remains a powerful and sometimes indispensable element in both personal and professional decision-making.
Scientists, clinicians, entrepreneurs, and business leaders frequently acknowledge that many of their most pivotal choices are guided not by slow, deliberate analysis, but by a sense of knowing that defies straightforward explanation.
Intuition can prompt creative breakthroughs, alert us to risks before evidence accumulates, and guide judgment in complex or high-stakes environments where data may be incomplete.
It is a paradox of modern life: we value rational analysis, yet, in practice, most of us make critical decisions as much with intuition as with intellect.
The persistent impact of intuition, even in highly technical fields, suggests that some aspects of perception and judgment remain beyond the full grasp of empirical science for now.
This does not mean intuition lacks value or reality; instead, it highlights the importance of keeping an open mind about the sources of human insight and the mechanisms that underlie it.
Bringing scientific attention to subtle phenomena, whether psychic ability or intuition, does not require certainty or proof of causation. It requires humility, curiosity, and the recognition that unexplained effects can still be profoundly real in lived experience.
As we expand the boundaries of research, we may one day uncover the genetic, neurological, or experiential foundations of intuition. Until then, the widespread influence of intuition in both science and business remains a compelling frontier for future inquiry.
Conclusions and Takeaways: Why Metaphysics Still Matters in Science, Technology, and Business
Some may question why science should bother with topics at the edge of current understanding, those sometimes labeled “metaphysical.”
But metaphysics represents the space for the yet-to-be-explained: the frontier of questions not yet answerable, but not thereby irrelevant. Genuine progress happens when scholars hold space for new evidence, however modest, and pursue it with discipline and imagination.
In the study I cited, the TNRC18 finding does not resolve the mystery of psychic ability, nor does it claim to. Yet it illustrates why even the smallest pieces of credible evidence deserve careful attention.
For science to move forward, researchers must refine methods, seek replication, and pursue mechanistic insight while the public stays open to possibility and nuance. Only then can today’s anomaly become tomorrow’s knowledge.
As I emphasized in my report to my client, the actual progress of science and society depends on both rigor and openness. Future research should build on this foundation: investigating the potential role of TNRC18 in neural processes, validating findings through larger and more representative studies, and cultivating the humility to examine unconventional and metaphysical phenomena with fresh eyes.
We now know that based on history, genuine breakthroughs rarely arrive through consensus alone. They emerge when thoughtful and courageous scientists and others are willing to question assumptions and explore outliers that others might dismiss.
History reminds us that many of the world’s most significant advances in physics, technology, or business were sparked by minds willing to look twice at what others overlooked.
Nikola Tesla, whose insights hinted at new dimensions of the universe, was marginalized by the mainstream in his time. Yet, the legacy of those bold questions continues to inspire today’s innovators, scientists, and leaders.
My late mentor, Nobel laureate Benoit Mandelbrot, specifically advised me to study all patents and papers of Nikola Tesla to understand his extraordinary mathematical fractals and to find more clues to explain the subtle mechanics of the cosmos reflected in the human brain and cognitive abilities.
Discovery does not simply reward the followers of established maps; it favors those who chart new territories, connect unlikely dots, and remain curious even in the face of skepticism.
For those willing to revisit the edges of knowledge, scientists, technologists, entrepreneurs, and visionaries, each small clue can open a new chapter in understanding.
After all, progress is born from the courage to seek meaning where others see only mystery, and to transform a drop of knowledge into ripples that move the entire ocean.
Introduction to Technology Horizons 2050 and Beyond ♾️
Emerging Technologies Shaping the Next 50 Years of Human and Machine Evolution
What will the world look like in 2050 when emerging technologies in biology, artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space exploration converge into one interconnected fabric of human and machine evolution?
In Technology Horizons 2050 and Beyond, I draw on five decades of work in technology, cognitive science, and global innovation to predict the coming five decades.
Yet this vision began far earlier, rooted in a childhood where I cultivated extraordinary imagination through cognitive enhancement methods, learned to think beyond the box, and developed the ability to view reality from both the microscopic and telescopic scales.
This dual perspective allows me to link scientific precision with metaphysical insight, creating forecasts that connect present-day breakthroughs with their long-term implications.
Going beyond technical analysis, the book is a synthesis of rigorous research, scenario planning, and intuitive pattern recognition, an approach that anticipates shifts others may overlook. I map the future of technology not only through the lens of engineering and economics, but also through the cultural, ethical, and philosophical questions it raises.
You will explore thirty interconnected domains shaping the future such as: regenerative medicine and biotechnology, bioprinting and nanotechnology, advanced genetic engineering, the Internet of Bodies and planetary connectivity, intelligent automation and the future of work, artificial general intelligence, neuromorphic computing, quantum computing and AI integration, smart cities of the future, tokenized economies, immersive realities, space colonization and planetary defense.
Each chapter follows a three-stage foresight model — 2030 Outlook, 2040 Transition, and 2050 Vision — providing a roadmap from today’s innovations to the transformative systems that will redefine life, work, and human potential over the next half-century.
This book goes beyond speculative science fiction. It is grounded in current research, industry developments, and practical foresight, making it a credible and indispensable resource for thought leaders, entrepreneurs, artists, technologists, policymakers, and philosophers who seek to understand the future of human-machine evolution.
Whether you are building the next breakthrough company, shaping policy for emerging technologies, investing in frontier science, or exploring the deeper meaning of human evolution in an age of machines, this book offers both a strategic guide and a creative provocation.
Emerging technologies have been my research interest for a long time, and it is also my focus area for the content ecosystem. For example, my website was recognized by the Thinkers360 annual leaderboard for the 50 Thought-Leading Companies on Emerging Technology for 2023. And it was recognized as one of the 50 innovators of 2025.
The future will not wait for us to be ready. It will unfold in the minds of those who dare to see it before it arrives, who can stand at the intersection of science and imagination, and who dare to turn the improbable into the inevitable. This book is an invitation to be among them.
Stay tuned as I will share some chapters here and daily post one chapter to my Technology Excellence and Leadership publication on Substack to delight members from the technology and science community.
Technology Horizons 2050 and Beyond uses the frameworks of The Psychology of Emerging Technology, which is the culmination of this lifelong work.
It defines and fills a critical gap in an emerging discipline: understanding how rapidly evolving tools, from Big Data and IoT to AI, cloud ecosystems, virtual reality, and wearable technology, reshape cognition, behavior, and mental well-being at individual, organizational, and societal levels.
Grounded in real-world leadership experience and academic research, I have written this book for PhD students, researchers, policymakers, technologists, enterprise leaders, and critical thinkers who seek more than surface-level commentary. Through case studies, cognitive models, and tested frameworks, it blends the precision of science with the insight of lived practice.
At its core is my MINDTECH™ framework, which stands for Mapping Innovation, Integrating Neuroscience, Navigating Data, Designing Technology, Testing Ethics, Empowering Cognition, Cultivating Humanity, and Harnessing Futures.
This original framework unites technical imperatives with cognitive and ethical outcomes, making it as relevant to AI architects as it is to educators, policy experts, and superlearners.
Supporting MINDTECH™ are two additional frameworks:
S.P.A.R.K.S.™: Scalable, Predictive, Adaptive, Resilient, Knowledge-Driven, Secure. Links each technical requirement to measurable business and societal outcomes, ensuring solutions are robust, flexible, and trustworthy.
S.E.E. Model: Signal, Experience, Ethics. Guides technology assessment for the AI era, ensuring accurate signal interpretation, meaningful human experience, and responsible governance.
The Pillar Framework structures the book into four parts: Concepts, Systems, People & Practice, and Applications & Futures, while the SMART MIND Loop™ integrates cognitive optimization strategies, ensuring ideas are understood, retained, and applied.
The manuscript of Pscyhology of Emerging Technology is featured on Google Books.
I am pleased that my superlearning book, How I Accelerated My Learning Effortlessly for a Happier Life, is now #1 in the Psychology of Technology. Showing signals of an apparent demand for this synthesis.
Readers are seeking credible science translated into daily practice, framed with dignity and practical relevance. Many works focus narrowly on a single theory.
My approach brings these elements together into a usable structure that bridges the gap between what research shows and how learners work.
This is why the Superlearners Community will grow rapidly. It offers a tested, ethical, and sustainable way to use technology as a partner in human learning, not a distraction from it. Here is a sample chapter:
Neurofitness for Superlearning
How a Calm and Regulated Nervous System Powers Faster Learning, Better Health, and Sharper Mind with Creative Flowmedium.com
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