Among the many interesting scientific, social, cultural, psychological and natural developments we often read and hear about, some give us reason for hope and happiness, while others cause us worry and sadness.
Ongoing wars, terrorism, brutality, crime, corruption, injustice, economic instability, poverty, hunger, disease, climate change and other human problems cause troubling and discouraging feelings within us.
Yet, progress in diplomacy, peace operations, economic opportunity, agriculture, medical science, quantum physics, understanding our fellow human beings and other valuable research efforts can give us reason for optimism about the human race and our planet.
Some of this progress is public and conventional. That is, activities aimed at creating a better world are open, overt and along the lines of what we think of as normal constructive endeavors.
Other positive efforts might be more unconventional, covert and secret. People working "behind the scenes" might be conducting research and operations that are "not ready for prime time" but hold the promise of very helpful outcomes.
Many developments might include a mix of both open information and other layers of activities that are not as public.
They could involve combinations of efforts that have conventional and unconventional elements.
LEARNING ABOUT RESEARCH
In our modern world, the Web joins films, TV, radio, books, magazines and newspapers as a rich source of "open source intelligence" information that we can all access to find out more about interesting emerging developments.
Even our own internal consciousness and "situational awareness" can provide valuable "intelligence" about what is going on around us and how we might be affected.
In fact, human consciousness is the focus of some of these overt/covert research efforts - trying to understand "anomalous cognition," "remote viewing" and similar kinds of extrasensory perception (ESP).
Our dreams, prayers, instincts, intuition, hunches and imaginations are also part of research about the potential of the human mind and spirit.
How human consciousness fits into the big scheme of things is also part of research into quantum physics.
Other kinds of inquiries in quantum physics look at the interface of energy and matter, time-travel theories, anti-gravity possibilities, a larger intelligence in the Universe and the nature of Nature.
Are there other dimensions of reality and of Nature that we humans experience? Maybe an afterlife or something similar?
And what about the ideas that there might be intelligent beings from other planets and/or other dimensions - and they might be visiting Earth? Is it possible? Is it probable? Is it actually a confirmed fact?
These are some of the interesting questions that many researchers are dealing with.
What are some of the other topics of current research in the fields of biomedicine, technology and other areas? How big is your imagination?
Communicating about some of these topics with the general public is also part of the larger picture. Do we have a "need to know?" And if so, how much can we handle?
GETTING UP TO SPEED
Keeping up with the news on important events and trends, as well as specific areas that might interest us, is something we often try to fit into our daily lives.
Some information is out there on the Web and various media platforms and print materials for all of us to see and interpret. We can also read between the lines about the more subtle implications.
Fact-based fiction books, films, TV shows and other creative methods can also be effective in communicating about the truth of various situations and processes.
A case in point might be the new HBO series "John from Cincinnati" which is set in a beach town in southern San Diego County near the border with Mexico.
In its first season, the show has presented aspects of emerging research in ways that were, for many viewers, very interesting and fun.
For example, after a surfing session, one of the main characters spontaneously levitated a few includes off the ground, surprising himself and his adult son.
Then, the grandson and son of those characters, respectively, was miraculously healed after a devastating surfing accident. A pet bird of a family friend and retired peace officer was also healed.
Throughout the several episodes of the first season, viewers saw representations of anomalous cognition, remote viewing, ESP and other aspects of discoveries about human consciousness that are not always widely understood.
Viewers of the show also experienced scenes involving bi-location (being in two or more places at once), synchronicity (apparent coincidences that actually have meaningful connections) and other elements that stretch our imagination but reportedly have a basis in quantum physics.
EXTRATERRESTRIAL VISITOR?
In the most recent episode of the show that was first aired Sunday, Aug. 5, the surfing grandfather confides to an associate referred to as "The Chemist" that he wonders if his family has become involved with "an extraterrestrial." He is referring to "John" and he is serious about this question.
The Chemist is played by Howard Hesseman who was the disc jockey "Johnny Fever" of the TV series "WKRP in Cincinnati" in the late '70s and early '80s. Hesseman also played a government scientist in the 1986 Disney movie FLIGHT OF THE NAVIGATOR about a boy who ends up flying an intelligent extraterrestrial craft through various adventures, including a dramatic time-related anomaly.
Throughout the show, it has been unclear if John is just an odd guy, a young man with some kind of psychological disorder or quirk, someone with unusual paranormal abilities, a visiting angel or some combination of the above. It has also been questioned as to if he is really from Cincinnati.
With this recent mention of the possibility that John could be a highly unusual visitor, the show takes us to another region of scientific speculation and research.
The fact that the famous Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is located just north of Cincinnati in Dayton, Ohio, may or may not be related to some of these aspects of the show.
For those who have heard of the July 1947 crash investigation in Roswell, New Mexico, you might recall that "Wright-Patt" was reportedly the destination of materials retrieved from a crashed craft of some kind. The base is also associated with similar subsequent activities. Dayton is the area where the Wright brothers developed modern flight.
Another scene in the most recent episode showed the two surfing product company executives discussing how to help locate the grandson, who has gone missing along with John (and the pet bird). They discuss connections they have with a congressional intelligence oversight committee that might be helpful in getting discreet help, resources and assets.
The season finale will air Sunday, Aug. 12, and we will see what happens next.
STORIES OF A NEW WORLD
These kinds of elements in "John from Cincinnati" might spark our interest in and curiosity about what the creators and writers of this show have in mind and what they are trying to communicate.
The series might just be one more piece of a puzzle, along with many other efforts, that helps reveal new developments and deeper understanding about ourselves and the world around us.
"John from Cincinnati" is a unique show in some ways, and in other ways it seems to be just another integral part of a much larger fabric of many stories, legends, films, books and creative projects that are telling a story about humanity.
As we observe and absorb this and other information around us, and from within ourselves, we are experiencing more insight all the time. We are putting the puzzle pieces together.
And when this puzzle is complete, we may have a new paradigm, a new breakthrough, a new reality and a new world.
