Another story from the Daily Mail – see www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2509971/Are-PSYCHIC-scientists-b… … which suggests sixth sense (which we may very well possess) is a psychic power … a sort of telepathy. Behaviour, it is alleged, can spread throughout a species telepathically, adapted by groups that have not met. Why do people think about someone before they call or have a feeling something is about to happen before it actually does happen.
The idea of collective consciousness goes back to the 19th century – the 'hive mind' mentality (or herding). In the 1970s scientists began to explore it a little more. Rupert Sheldrake is briefly mentioned. We then have the old chestnut of blue tits pecking at foil milk bottle tops (with a very nice image) and monkeys washing food before they consume it (with a photo). Unfortunately, apart from a few scientists most of the rest follow the herding instinct and dismiss it all