Then (1998), The Cosmic Serpent
The DNA Biophoton Hypothesis: Has Anyone Tested It?
Narby proposed a specific mechanism: DNA biophoton emissions, amplified by DMT's enhancement of visual processing, provide the information channel through which shamans access molecular-level pharmacological knowledge. This is the testable core of the hypothesis.
contested
As of June 2026, no published study has directly tested the biophoton-DMT mechanism Narby proposed. Biophoton research has continued: Popp's group proposed DNA as a source of ultra-weak photon emission (Cell Biophysics, 1984), an idea that remains debated; a cited 2004 PNAS paper proposing biophotons as a neural signaling mechanism (attributed to 'Thar & Bhm') could not be found (Source not found; under review). But no experiment has attempted to determine whether: (1) DMT increases sensitivity to biophoton signals; (2) the information content of DNA biophoton emissions could include pharmacological information; (3) the visual experiences of ayahuasca are related to biophoton detection. The proposed mechanism is experimentally accessible, it could be tested with current technology. It has not been. This is not because it has been disproven; it is because no research group has prioritized testing it.
Sources
- Popp et al., Cell Biophysics (1984)
- Thar & Bhm, PNAS (2004) [Source not found; under review]
- Narby, The Cosmic Serpent (1998), Chapter 12 on testability