Maria Strømme, a Professor of Materials Science at Uppsala University, has introduced a theoretical model that departs significantly from her usual work in nanotechnology. In a recent paper, she proposes a framework in which consciousness is not produced by physical matter but instead forms the fundamental field from which space, time, and matter arise. The model positions consciousness as the primary substrate of reality, with everything else emerging as a secondary effect.
Strømme, M. (2025). Universal consciousness as foundational field: A theoretical bridge between quantum physics and non-dual philosophy. AIP Advances, 15(11). https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0290984
In this formulation, Strømme describes three interconnected principles she calls universal mind, universal consciousness, and universal thought. Individual experience, she argues, is the localized expression of a wider underlying field. She treats this field as a measurable entity that precedes physical structures, meaning that what we perceive as material reality emerges from a deeper level of organization. For a researcher who has spent most of her career working with physical materials and nanoscale engineering, the pivot is substantial, yet she emphasizes that the approach draws on conventional quantum-mechanical ideas such as fluctuation, symmetry-breaking, and state differentiation.
Maria Strømme, a Professor of Materials Science at Uppsala University stated,
“I am a materials scientist and engineer, so I am used to seeing matter as something fundamental. But according to this model, matter is secondary much of what we experience is representation or illusion”.
Strømme notes that her thinking aligns with earlier explorations by figures like Einstein and Schrödinger, who also questioned whether the observed world is fundamental or derived. Her model suggests that the sense of being a separate individual is an emergent effect, not an intrinsic feature of nature. In this view, consciousness does not “switch off” when the body dies, but instead returns to the universal field from which it originated. She frames these ideas in mathematical language, attempting to treat what are usually considered philosophical questions through the lens of physics.
Although the claim that consciousness precedes matter is unconventional in mainstream science, Strømme argues that the theory can produce testable predictions. She points to possible routes in physics, neuroscience, and cosmology where empirical data could validate or contradict the model. The practical challenge lies in operationalizing something as abstract as a consciousness field, especially in disciplines that rely on measurable parameters and repeatable experimental conditions.
For engineers and applied scientists, the work is likely to be met with curiosity as well as caution. On one hand, the idea of a foundational field aligns with established concepts in systems engineering and materials science, where emergent behavior and underlying mechanisms are central themes. On the other hand, the proposal requires rethinking long-held assumptions about the relationship between observer and system. If consciousness is fundamental rather than emergent, it may influence how we interpret measurement, system boundaries, and feedback within engineered structures.
Despite its speculative nature, the theory touches on areas relevant to modern technological research. Fields such as artificial intelligence, neuromorphic engineering, and human-machine interfaces increasingly deal with questions about perception, awareness, and the role of the observer. Even if Strømme’s framework does not redefine these areas, it adds another perspective to ongoing debates about cognition, information, and the origins of complexity.
The work also intersects with long-standing philosophical traditions that describe reality as fundamentally interconnected. Strømme acknowledges that her strict mathematical formulation echoes themes found in religious and philosophical texts, although she distances the theory from metaphors and focuses instead on physical reasoning. She suggests that scientific inquiry may be approaching a point where questions once confined to metaphysics demand new investigative tools.
Strømme’s proposal is unlikely to reshape scientific practice overnight, but it encourages deeper examination of the assumptions underpinning modern physics and engineering. For a field that often treats matter as the unquestioned foundation of reality, the suggestion that consciousness may sit beneath it challenges both method and mindset. Whether the theory eventually proves accurate or not, it invites a productive conversation about how far engineering and science can reach when attempting to model the most fundamental features of existence.
Adrian graduated with a Masters Degree (1st Class Honours) in Chemical Engineering from Chester University along with Harris. His master’s research aimed to develop a standardadised clean water oxygenation transfer procedure to test bubble diffusers that are currently used in the wastewater industry commercial market. He has also undergone placments in both US and China primarely focused within the R&D department and is an associate member of the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE).
