Breathing with the Earth
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eral variables shifted away from the rhythms of other metabolic systems,
which had already lost the circadian rhythm, and established new rates
having no relationship to each other.
Wever next tried introducing various electric and magnetic fields into
his completely shielded room. Only one had any effect on the amorphous
cycles. An infinitesimal electric field (0.025 volts per centimeter) puls-
ing at 10 hertz dramatically restored normal patterns to most of the
biological measurements. Wever concluded that this frequency in the
micropulsations of the earth's electromagnetic field was the prime timer
of biocycles. The results have since been confirmed in guinea pigs and
mice. In light of this work, the fact that 10 hertz is also the dominant
(alpha) frequency of the EEG in all animals becomes another significant
bit of evidence that every creature is hooked up to the earth electromag-
netically through its DC system. Recently a group under Indian bio-
physicist Sarada Subrahmanyam reported that the human EEG not only
responded to the micropulsations, but responded differently depending
on which way the subject's head was facing in relation to the earth's
field. Oddly enough, however, the head direction had no effect if the
subject was a yogi.
The relationship has been conclusively proven by recent studies of the
pineal gland. This tiny organ in the center of the cranium has turned
out to be more than the vaguely defined "third eye" of the mystics. It
produces melatonin and serotonin, two neurohormones that, among
many other functions, directly control all of the biocycles. The lamprey,
akin to the ancestor of all vertebrates, as well as certain lizards, has an
actual third eye, close to the head's surface and directly responsive to
light, instead of the "blind" pineal found in other vertebrates. The emi-
nent British anatomist J. Z. Young has recently shown that this organ
controls the daily rhythm of skin color changes that these animals un-
dergo.
For our story the most important point is that very small magnetic
fields influence the pineal gland. Several research groups have shown that
applying a magnetic field of half a gauss or less, oriented so as to add to
or subtract from the earth's normal field, will increase or decrease pro-
duction of pineal melatonin and serotonin. Other groups have observed
physical changes in the gland's cells in response to such fields. The ex-
periments were controlled for illumination, since it has been known for
several years that shining a light on the head somehow modifies the
gland's hormone output even though it's buried so deeply within the
head in most vertebrates that, as far as we know, it can't react directly to
the light.