Scientists Are Still Baffled by What Creates Consciousness

Consciousness. It’s the thing that lets you experience the world, ponder your existence, and wonder whether your cat truly loves you or is just waiting for you to open another can of tuna. But despite the fact that it’s at the core of what makes us human (or at least what makes us think we’re human), scientists still don’t fully understand what consciousness actually is, let alone what creates it.

So, let’s take a closer look at what we do know about consciousness—where it comes from, how it works, and why it might just be one of the weirdest things about being alive.

The Basics of Consciousness: What Are We Talking About Here?

First things first, what exactly is consciousness? It’s one of those concepts that seems obvious until you try to pin it down. In its most basic sense, consciousness is the state of being aware of and able to think about your own existence, sensations, thoughts, and surroundings. It’s what lets you know that you’re you—the same you who felt awkward at middle school dances, the same you who now cringes at the memory.

But consciousness isn’t just about self-awareness; it also involves the ability to experience things subjectively. For example, you’re not just aware that a sunset is happening—you can see it, appreciate the colors, and maybe even feel a sense of peace (or mild irritation if you’re stuck in traffic trying to get a good view). This subjective experience, sometimes called “qualia,” is a key part of what makes consciousness such a puzzle.

The Brain: The Usual Suspect

When it comes to figuring out what creates consciousness, the brain is the obvious place to start. After all, this three-pound lump of neurons is responsible for everything from solving algebra problems to convincing you that it’s totally fine to eat ice cream for breakfast. So it makes sense that consciousness would be tied to brain activity.

Most scientists agree that consciousness arises from the brain’s ability to process information in complex ways. Neurons, the brain’s little electrical messengers, fire in patterns that somehow—emphasis on somehow—produce the sensation of being alive and aware. But how do these neurons and their firing patterns create the rich, subjective experience of consciousness? That’s where things get tricky.

The Hard Problem: Why Consciousness Is So Hard to Explain

Philosopher David Chalmers famously called this the “hard problem” of consciousness. The easy problems (if you can call them that) involve understanding how the brain processes information, controls behavior, or reacts to stimuli. But the hard problem is figuring out why all that brain activity should result in the feeling of being something. Why should a bunch of neurons firing in your brain make you feel anything at all?

Think of it this way: a computer processes information and reacts to inputs, but it doesn’t feel like anything to be a computer. At least, we hope not—otherwise, we should probably stop yelling at our laptops. So why does it feel like something to be a human? Why do we have this rich inner life full of thoughts, emotions, and sensations, instead of just being highly advanced biological machines?

Theories of Consciousness: Taking a Stab at the Big Question

Scientists and philosophers have proposed several theories to explain what creates consciousness. None of them are universally accepted, but each offers a piece of the puzzle.

1. Integrated Information Theory (IIT): This theory suggests that consciousness arises from the way information is integrated in the brain. The more integrated and unified the information, the more conscious the experience. It’s like consciousness is a really complex, hyper-connected data network. But while this theory can explain some aspects of consciousness, it doesn’t quite answer the big question of why these connections feel like anything at all.

2. Global Workspace Theory (GWT): According to this theory, consciousness is what happens when information from different parts of the brain gets broadcast to a “global workspace.” This workspace is like a stage where different parts of the brain bring their information to be processed by the whole system. It’s sort of like your brain is running a 24/7 news network, where some information gets prime airtime (consciousness), and other info just runs in the background (unconscious processes).

3. Panpsychism: This one’s a bit more out there—panpsychism suggests that consciousness might be a fundamental feature of the universe, like space or time. In this view, everything has some level of consciousness, from humans to cats to, yes, even rocks. Before you start trying to have deep conversations with your coffee mug, it’s worth noting that this theory is more of a philosophical idea than a scientific one. But it does raise interesting questions about where consciousness might begin.

4. Quantum Consciousness: Proposed by physicist Roger Penrose and anesthesiologist Stuart Hameroff, this theory suggests that consciousness arises from quantum processes within the brain’s neurons. Quantum mechanics is already weird enough, dealing with particles that can be in two places at once and other mind-bending phenomena. So, naturally, this theory suggests that the same weirdness could be responsible for our conscious experience. While it’s a fascinating idea, it’s also one of the more controversial theories out there, and many scientists remain skeptical.

The Role of the Body: More Than Just a Brain Thing?

While the brain often gets all the credit (or blame) for consciousness, some researchers suggest that the body plays a bigger role than we might think. After all, your brain doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it’s connected to a whole network of nerves, muscles, and organs that all contribute to your experience of being alive. The theory of “embodied cognition” suggests that consciousness isn’t just about what happens in your brain, but also about how your body interacts with the world. For example, the feeling of hunger isn’t just a signal from your stomach to your brain; it’s a whole-body experience that influences your thoughts, emotions, and behavior. In this view, consciousness is more like a team effort, with the brain and body working together to create your subjective experience.

Can Machines Be Conscious? The AI Question

With all the talk about consciousness, it’s only natural to wonder: could machines ever be conscious? After all, if consciousness is just about processing information, then why couldn’t a highly advanced AI experience something similar? Some scientists argue that if we build a machine complex enough, with the right kind of information processing, it could develop its own form of consciousness. Others think that consciousness is more than just information processing—it’s about having a particular kind of brain or body, or it’s tied to some yet-to-be-discovered fundamental property of the universe.

For now, most AI is about as conscious as a toaster, but the possibility of conscious machines raises fascinating ethical questions. If a machine can be conscious, does it have rights? Should we feel guilty about shutting it off? It’s a topic that’s still more science fiction than science fact, but as AI technology advances, it might be something we’ll have to think about seriously.

The Big Mystery: We’re Not There Yet

At the end of the day, consciousness remains one of the biggest mysteries in science. We know it’s real because we experience it every moment we’re awake, but we still don’t fully understand what creates it. Is it just brain activity? Is it something more? Or are we asking the wrong questions entirely?

What we do know is that consciousness is central to who we are as individuals. It’s what makes life rich, complex, and sometimes confusing. And while we might not have all the answers yet, the search for understanding consciousness is helping us learn more about the brain, the mind, and what it means to be human. In the meantime, whether consciousness is a result of neurons firing, quantum weirdness, or something even stranger, we’ll keep pondering the big questions—and maybe our cats will keep wondering if we’ll ever learn to open that tuna can a little faster.