Some people learning about these kinds of human abilities might naturally wonder if they reflect advances in the ongoing development of the human brain. Are they new potentials that the human race is now experiencing as we evolve into more advanced creatures. This is one line of thinking.

Another view is that these perceptual abilities are old, ancient, and go back into prehistory.

Maybe there is some combination of both aspects.

Native American cultures are good examples. They found these types of experiences to be very valid perceptions about reality.

Ancient humans may have relied on intuition, internal perception and instincts much more than we do today. As our conscious, logical and intellectual minds have developed, maybe our other awareness skills and internal intelligence declined and atrophied.

Some people theorize that animals may have anomalous cognition abilities that are superior to that of humans in many ways.

So, perhaps these skills are not a new development at all, but, rather, the rediscovery and re-emergence of established and fundamental types of human intelligence.

Our instinct that danger is near, our feeling that we should contact someone or our sense that we should do something in particular, are situations that we sometimes experience. These perceptions may have a basis in valid and accurate anomalous cognition.

Likewise, we all experience dreams. Dreams, like other kinds of anomalous cognition and remote viewing, also involve the unconscious mind's ability to provide valuable information.

As important as, or more important than, the value people place on these kinds of perceptions are reports about how accurate and how useful these perceptions can be.

In other words, believing that unusual perception has value is one thing. Actually demonstrating that highly useful information or insight can come from unconventional perception or dreams is another.

There are many examples of interesting and even amazing results from things like anomalous cognition, remote viewing, intuition, visions and dreams.

While living in San Diego many years ago, I worked with a retired U.S. Navy master chief who had served for 25 years or more. Most of his Navy career was in the submarine service.

One day he brought up a story from his dad's Navy service on a submarine in the Pacific during WWII.

According to the master chief's father, during combat operations between the U.S. and Japan, his sub experienced a mechanical problem and was forced to surface near a sand bar and in plain view of any Japanese planes that might happen to fly over the area.

In such a position, if the sub was spotted, they would be very vulnerable to destruction and/or capture.

As a result, efforts to diagnose and repair the mechanical problem were extremely urgent and a life-or-death matter for the officers and crew.

The master chief's dad had some key duties and responsibilities involving the engineering and mechanical operation of the sub.

He and other crewmembers explored many possible reasons for the sub's mechanical problem and tried several solutions, but none worked and they remained surfaced and in danger.

More than one day passed and they knew that it was crucial to figure out the problem and get it fixed. They worked non-stop, only interrupting their work when necessary and to eat and sleep.

While sleeping, the master chief's dad had a dream. He had a dream about what the problem with the sub was.

When he awoke, he located the part of the mechanical workings the sub that he had dreamed about and went to work. The problem turned out to be exactly what he had dreamed.

He and his fellow crewmembers rapidly completed repairs and the sub was safely underway shortly after.

His dream may have saved the sub and its crew from death or a terrible fate.