Do the reversals of the Earth's magnetic field induce evolutionary leaps?

I received from Zakaria Ameziane a highly interesting question related to the TGD inspired theory of consciousness and quantum biology, in particular self hierarchy and the notion of quantum jump according to TGD, and the role of the Earth's magnetic field in quantum biology. The question went roughly as follows.

"There is an interesting hypothesis which demonstrates that the DMT, by its affinity with UV-B rays, could be produced significantly, endogenously when the electromagnetic fields are reversed. If this hypothesis would prove to be true, could it trigger a new quantum jump?"

The question involve a link to a discussion in DMT Quest discussion group (DMT Quest is an organization, which supports DMT research) in Twitter (see this). The link is warmly recommended. The discussion was related to the the so-called Stoned Ape Theory of evolution claims that that the transition from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens and the cognitive revolution was caused by the addition of psilocybin mushrooms, specifically the mushroom Psilocybe cubensis, into the human diet around 100,000 years ago. One can also consider alternative forms of this idea.

From the discussion one can pick up the following facts.

1. DMT is often assigned with pineal gland, "third eye" and the seat of the soul, according to Descartes but according to recent views it is present in the entire brain. DMT (is reported to induce a growth of neurons (see this) (I have discussed DMT from the TGD point of view here and here).

   By its affinity with UV-B rays, DMT could be produced significantly endogenously as magnetic field reversal occurs and the shield provided by the Earth's magnetic field against UV rays is temporarily lost.

2. The latest magnetic reversal occurred 40,000 years ago in the so-called Laschamp event (see this). Interestingly, Neanderthals disappeared at this time.
3. 40,000 years also corresponds to a time when a large change in the shape of human brain took place (see this). The following excerpt is from the abstract of the article.

   ".... Our data show that, 300,000 years ago, brain size in early H. sapiens already fell within the range of present-day humans.

   Brain shape, however, evolved gradually within the H. sapiens lineage, reaching present-day human variation between about 100,000 and 35,000 years ago. This process started only after other key features of craniofacial morphology appeared modern and paralleled the emergence of behavioral modernity as seen from the archeological record.

   Our findings are consistent with important genetic changes affecting early brain development within the H. sapiens lineage since the origin of the species and before the transition to the Later Stone Age and the Upper Paleolithic that mark full behavioral modernity."

4. Relatively recent research indicates that changes in the geomagnetic field of the earth causes genetic and metabolic changes in plants indicating the potential to be a driver of evolution (see this).

These observations inspire the question whether the magnetic reversal could have induced not only a significant growth of neurons in human brains but also an evolutionary jump?

1. Could this effect have occurred at the level of genes, at the level of epigenesis or both? The amazing findings of Levin \cite{bbio/Levin1,Levin2,Levin3,Levinnohead} (see for instance this), discussed from the TGD point of view from the TGD point of view here, suggest that besides genes, also electromagnetic field patterns assignable to cell groups (not only neuron groups), determine the outcome of morphogenesis via epigenesis and that modifications of these patterns during the embryo stage can dramatically modify the outcome of morphogenesis without any change at the level of genes. What is remarkable is that these changes are inherited.
2. Could the magnetic reversal have induced an inheritable change of the shape and the electromagnetic structure of the brains of developing embryos? Could the increased amount of DMT during the reversal be behind this change? If only a permanent epigenetic change is in question, it might be induced by DMT.

The following summarizes roughly my reply to the question by Zakaria Ameziane. The reply describes first very briefly what self hierarchy and quantum jumps mean inthe TGD framework.

1. Selves can fuse to larger selves by entangling stably. This could occur in both "small" and "big" statefunction reductions (SFRs). In a pair of BSFRs (BSFRs change the arrow of time) and a TGD counterpart of quantum tunnelling takes place this kind of fusion could occur. This would mean an extension of consciousness. Perhaps this happens as the person gradually wakes up. Also the fusion of say visual fields to single visual field could occur in this way. Right and left brain, or rather their magnetic bodies, could also fuse in this way.
2. DMT is assigned with pineal gland, I would tend to see its presence as a prerequisite for a connection to a rather high level of hierarchy of selves, magnetic body corresponding to a rather long length and time scales.

Concerning the finding that something dramatic took place in the evolution of the human brain about 40,000 years ago when also magnetic reversal took place. Catastrophes induce quantum criticality in long scales which in turn could induce evolutionary jumps.

1. I have just developed a model for the change of the magnetic polarity (see this and this): the change of the polarity would be associated both in the case of Sun and Earth to a BSFR changing the arrow of time. This process would be like death followed by reincarnation with the opposite arrow of time at the level of the magnetic body (MB). The sequences of reversals would define the analog of a sleep-wakeup cycle on a large scale.
2. BSFR corresponds to quantum criticality: the monopole flux loops of the magnetic body of Earth decay into pieces, change direction and fuse again as required by the magnetic reversal. MB is the boss and this universal mechanism would also induce biological decay after death and re-organization of molecules to a living organism. It would also be behind catabolism and anabolism at molecular level.
3. During the period of BSFR associated with the reversal, the UV radiation from outer space can enter the Earth's surface and induce large genetic and also other kinds of biological changes. A BSFR at the level of MB of Earth inducing the magnetic reversal could have induced a cascade of BSFRs at shorter scales possibly inducing dramatic evolutionary changes.

   In the TGD Universe, the genes do not dictate everything. Also electromagnetic field patterns at the cellular level, both for neurons and ordinary cells, are in a central role in dictating the development of embryos, as Levin's findings demonstrate. Their change would involve epigenetic change (see this). This point was already discussed.

4. For instance, these BSFRS inducing large changes at the MB of the brain could have increased the probability of the fusion of MBs of say left and right hemispheres to a larger unit, the MB of the entire brain. This would have induced a stronger interaction of right and left hemispheres. The periods of time in an entangled, "whole-brainy" state would have significantly increased.

   This might relate to the hypothesis that bicamerality in which right and left hemispheres behaved like independent selves (schizophrenics and young children might be bicamerals) transformed to modern consciousness in which the brain hemisphere tends to behave like a single coherent entity.

5. There is evidence that the magnetic field of Earth is changing right now (this). Could it mean that polarity reversal of the Earth's magnetic field might happen in the not so distant future. An interesting question is what this could mean for our species.
6. The magnetic bodies of Sun and Earth interact and in TGD framework both MBs play a key role in the quantum biology (see this and this) based on gravitational quantum coherence prevailing in astrophysical scales.

   An interesting question is whether the solar 11+11 year "sleep-awake" cycle of the solar MB could induce periodicies in human behavior, say in social structures. Maybe statisticians could have something to say about this.

See the article A TGD Inspired Model for Solar Flares or the chapter Magnetic Bubbles in TGD Universe: Part II.

For a summary of earlier postings see Latest progress in TGD.