A major international study, the results of which were published today in Nature marks a historic milestone in the scientific investigation of consciousness. In a unique endeavour, the Cogitate Consortium brought together proponents of two leading theories of consciousness in an ambitious “adversarial collaboration” designed to rigorously test their predictions against empirical data. The results deliver a striking message: critical predictions of both leading theories were challenged by the empirical findings, underscoring the complexity of consciousness as a scientific phenomenon.
Member of the Cogitate Consortium’s Scientific Advisory Board and co-author of the study, Sylvain Baillet, Professor of Neurology & Neurosurgery and Computer Science at McGill University, emphasized the groundbreaking nature of the project:
“This study represents a fundamental shift in how we approach one of the greatest mysteries of the human brain: how biological processes give rise to our experience of the world, others, and ourselves. Consciousness research is still a relatively young field, often marked by spirited competition rather than constructive collaboration. I am proud that the Cogitate Consortium has pioneered a new model—one of rigorous, transparent, and collaborative science.”
In a field where theoretical camps have historically worked in isolation—sometimes with harsh critiques issued without the necessary distance or empirical foundation—the Cogitate project took a different path. Following a framework inspired by Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman, researchers from across the world coordinated an adversarial collaboration: an experimental design agreed to in advance, based on forecasts rather than results, where predictions, methodologies, and interpretations were all preregistered.
The study mobilized state-of-the-art brain imaging and recording techniques across several modalities—including fMRI, MEG, and intracranial EEG—and enrolled over 250 participants worldwide.
The two theories placed under scrutiny were: the Global Neuronal Workspace Theory (GNWT), which proposes that conscious perception arises from information being widely broadcast across the brain, particularly involving prefrontal regions; and the Integrated Information Theory (IIT), which posits that consciousness emerges from integrated information in a posterior cortical “hot zone.”
Reflecting on the significance of the initiative, Baillet added:
“I am glad to have contributed a piece to this remarkable effort—providing guidance and motivational support along this long journey. It is inspiring to see theoretical predictions evaluated with such a breadth of methodologies, the strong engagement of young scientists willing to take career risks, and the open sharing of all data and analytical pipelines. Making our work fully accessible ensures that the scientific community can confirm, replicate, and build upon these findings. It’s an essential step forward for a rigorous and cumulative science of consciousness.”
The Cogitate Consortium’s results are only the beginning. A second large-scale study is already underway, and the Consortium’s commitment to openness ensures that future discoveries will be a collective endeavour.
About the Cogitate Consortium:
The Cogitate Consortium is an international collaboration of neuroscientists and consciousness researchers funded by the Templeton World Charity Foundation, working to advance the empirical study of consciousness through open science, rigorous experimental design, and adversarial collaboration models.
For more information, please visit the full publication at https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-025-08888-1.