The Silence Experiment: Multi-State Protocol for Detecting Consciousness-Dependent Quantum Decoherence in Shielded Environments

Abstract

This registration is the confirmatory analysis plan and full protocol for The Silence Experiment, a multi-participant Phase 0 investigation of whether specific, EEG-verified states of consciousness can systematically modulate the decoherence time (T₂) of a shielded room-temperature NV-center diamond quantum sensor. The protocol is documented in three companion Zenodo papers: The Silence Paradigm v11 — https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20326258 The Silence Experiment v13 — https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20325967 Design Specifications for a Five-Layer Shielded Chamber (TSP-ENG-001 V5) — https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20326311 The design places experienced meditators inside a 3.0 m cubic five-layer shielded chamber (acoustic/thermal, hydrogen-annealed mu-metal magnetic, welded OFHC copper RF, pneumatic vibration isolation, aluminum structural Faraday cage). Cognitive state is the independent variable, operationalised as seven EEG-verified conditions C1–C7 ordered by descending cognitive excitation — C1 active cognition, C2 ordinary resting, C3 focused attention (Shamatha), C4 open monitoring (Vipassana), C5 non-directed openness, C6 Minimal Phenomenal Experience / luminous bare awareness, C7 cessation / objectless awareness — plus an empty-chamber instrumental baseline run as separate sessions. Real-time 64-channel wireless EEG verifies state attainment (EEG signature is the primary inclusion criterion for C6 and C7). Comprehensive synchronous environmental monitoring (SQUID magnetometers, fluxgate magnetometer, 3-axis accelerometer, Pt100 RTDs to ±0.001 K, RF, humidity, barometric pressure, acoustic SPL) is recorded via GPS-disciplined 10 MHz common time base for artifact-correlation analysis. The pre-registered primary analysis is a family of three tests: a Jonckheere–Terpstra ordered test on the C1 → C7 ordering, plus two orthogonal planned contrasts — Contrast 1 ([C6, C7] vs. [baseline, C1–C5]) and Contrast 2 (C7 vs. C6) — evaluated at family-wise α = 0.005 one-sided with Bonferroni correction (per-test α ≈ 0.00167), accompanied by a parallel Bayesian analysis with pre-specified Bayes Factor thresholds (BF > 10 strong, BF > 100 decisive). The threshold follows Benjamin et al. (2018) for novel discovery claims. The Phase 0 minimum detectable effect is d ≥ 0.4 on Contrast 1 at n = 50 sessions per condition. Analysis is outcome-blinded and conducted by an independent statistician who does not see condition labels until the locked dataset is delivered. Any positive primary result is subjected to artifact analysis against the full environmental channel set and requires independent replication by a non-affiliated laboratory before being treated as established. No data of any kind have been collected as of this update. All raw data, analysis code, and any deviations will be publicly deposited here with full transparency upon completion. Amendment history is visible in the Updates panel; v1 (April 2026 original), v2 (terminology), v3 (V9-aligned methodology), and v4 (V13-aligned, pending moderator approval) constitute the full version record.