[Xin (OP)]

The basic question is can the human mind control or affect the movement of atomic or quantum particles? I remember seeing a show on the Science Channel or Discovery about an experiment that someone did using water. He gave a person a bowl of water or a tray of water and had them think happy, sad, angry, depressed thoughts while the water was being frozen. Then looking at the ice crystals of the water through a microscope, they found that the water molecules were arranged differently based on the "thoughts" that the person projected at the water.

To me that seems kinda far-fetched, and I'm sure water isn't going to freeze in the exact same way everytime regardless what thoughts are being "projected" upon it, but it got me thinking. I remember reading an article about observing quantum particles and that the very act of observing a particle causes it to affect its reality...that particles behave differently when not observing them. So this raises my question, are our minds able to control these particles? And if so, would it then make sense that with enough skill we could manipulate atoms and even multiple atoms where we could eventually be able to move physical objects with our minds? What about creating or destroying particles?

[Vern]

I don't think the act of observation necessarily means being observed by a human. Anything that can react with the observed entity will work. But it is pretty well established that some quantum phenomena such as beta decay proceeds at a different rate when observed than when not observed. Any mechanism that can count the reactions serves as an observer.

[Soul Surfer]

The answer to this is only the ones from which it is composed.

[Soul Surfer]

And then only electromagnetically at energy levels appropriate to body temperature

[Vern]

I guess we owe an answer to the OP. My opinion is that there is no evidence that the human mind by sheer mental power can cause any physical action or reaction. There is much trickery along these lines and it is a favourite stunt for magicians, but I have seen no solid evidence of such that can stand up to critical examination.