Scientists study consciousness after death with surprising results

Hotair ^ | 09/30/23 | Jazz Shaw

[SeekAndFind]

One of the obvious reasons that human beings’ destiny after they shuffle off this mortal coil is such an enduring mystery is that nobody ever comes back to tell us what really happens. Or do they? This is a question that has been the subject of intense speculation, particularly among people who focus on paranormal phenomena. Referred to frequently as “near-death experiences,” (NDEs) people do sometimes undergo what most doctors would refer to as “death,” including a complete cessation of brainwave activity, but are then “brought back to life.” And some of them claim to have memories of that period when they were supposedly dead. But some scientists have been delving into the topic as well, including a team at New York University. They measured the brainwaves of people who were in the process of dying and somehow concluded that they may have been experiencing “new dimensions of reality” while passing on from this realm. (Vice)

Scientists have witnessed brain patterns in dying patients that may correlate to commonly reported “near-death” experiences (NDEs) such as lucid visions, out-of-body sensations, a review of one’s own life, and other “dimensions of reality,” reports a new study. The results offer the first comprehensive evidence that patient recollections and brain waves point to universal elements of NDEs.

During an expansive multi-year study led by Sam Parnia, an intensive care doctor and an associate professor in the department of medicine at NYU Langone Health, researchers observed 567 patients in 25 hospitals around the world as they underwent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) after suffering heart attacks, most of which were fatal.

The EEG scans of more than 500 patients who had suffered cardiac arrest were studied. Sadly, most of them were unable to be revived. But 53 patients were returned to life and consciousness. Of those, nearly a dozen reported memories of a “sense” of awareness while they were dead and six reported an NDE. But if the person has expired and their brain functions have essentially ceased, how are they storing any memories, to say nothing of experiencing something? Are we looking at medical proof of an afterlife?

The few scientists who have addressed these questions previously have typically attributed these memories to random synaptic firings in the brain as it’s in the process of dying. But these results seem to suggest something more may be going on. And there have been more people working on this subject than you might imagine. In 2017, journalist Leslie Kean published her book, “Surviving Death: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for an Afterlife.” It’s full of stories of survivors and the medical professionals who have treated them, raising all sorts of questions.

But how far can the envelope be pushed in terms of a journey “to the other side” from which you might be able to return? It turns out it can be more lengthy than I would have guessed. One American woman was dead for 17 hours in 2008 and then came back to life. Velma Thomas suffered cardiac arrest and then died in the hospital after her heart stopped multiple times. Doctors attempted to revive her and kept her body chilled for 17 hours while detecting no brain activity. They finally gave up and disconnected her from all of their medical equipment and were preparing to harvest her organs, but a few minutes later, Thomas woke up.

I haven’t seen any record of Velma Thomas relating any memories from that 17-hour period, so perhaps it doesn’t happen to everyone. Or maybe some have the experiences but are unable to recall them. But the fact that someone could flatline for that many hours and simply wake up certainly widens the window of possibilities as to what could be going on.

You can check out the linked article for more details on this research. It’s really fascinating. And here is a short news report on Velma Thomas , including some snippets of interviews with her and her son

[Right_in_Virginia]

For later....

[SeekAndFind]

See here :

https://www.amazon.com/Surviving-Death-Journalist-Investigates-Afterlife/dp/0553419617

In 2017, journalist Leslie Kean published her book, “Surviving Death: A Journalist Investigates Evidence for an Afterlife.” It’s full of stories of survivors and the medical professionals who have treated them, raising all sorts of questions

[SeekAndFind]

Also here :

https://www.vice.com/en/article/pkamgm/people-experience-new-dimensions-of-reality-when-dying-groundbreaking-study-reports

People Experience ‘New Dimensions of Reality’ When Dying, Groundbreaking Study Reports

[Faith65]

Thanks.
BFL

[Right_in_Virginia]

Thanks!

[SkyDancer]

Then they weren’t really dead.

[InkStone]

Hebrews 9:27
And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

[KarlInOhio]

What effect will this have on the organ donation part of the medical establishment which is quick to part you out like an old Chevy as soon as they can’t detect brain waves?

[Beowulf9]

Interesting.

[lizma2]

Read an article like this about 9 years ago.

My Dad died 10 years. I was at his bedside for hours with his best friend when I heard him take his last breath. He wasn’t communicating at all. (And it was right after he heard me finally laugh.)

At the time I started to sob and said “I just wish I could have told him “Thank You””.

I think he heard me. Well at least I really hope so.

[georgia peach]

Please read Dr Eban Alexander’s books on what happened to him after all brain activity ceased.

[georgia peach]

And what does that mean in this context?

[Southside_Chicago_Republican]

Bookmark

[SkyDancer]

Yes, but he wasn’t dead.

[iontheball]

Then they weren’t really dead.
_________________
‘Dead’ is just your attempt to impinge on the whole of God’s creation.

[xkaydet65]

My wife had advanced melanoma with brain lesions. She was dying though we held out hope her therapy would kick in. One morning as I was vcv shaving I heard her scream. I rushed to her and saw her arm shaking and her faced showed terror. Her last words, “ I’m so scared!!!” Then she went still, eyes open, no conscious awareness. She was still breathing. EMS came. Took vitals. Before transferring to an ambulance she woke. She was calm and lucid. At the hospital her oncologist said the meds weren’t working. She calmly said, “ Then we’ll stop.” She was transferred to hospice care where she spent 27 days. There was never again any fear. It is my belief that in her 25 minutes of non responsiveness she went somewhere and came back assured there was nothing more to fear. She did not have a true NDE but something brought her to a peaceful calm.

[cgbg]

Folks who are dead don’t come back from the dead—unless they do....

Lol.

[AndyTheBear]

Unless we start the very unethical practice of triggering the conditions that make NRE's possible, it seems we have to make due with the evidence we can glean from those times that such conditions occur. And these of course are not times where we are set up to observe and test such things.

So we have limited Empirical evidence available. Of the two competing theories of consciousness:

1) Conscious experience is somehow a byproduct of the physics of a working brain.

2) Conscious experience is something that can interface through a working brain but has and independent substance to it.

The theory 2 is the one supported by the Empirical evidence we do have.

[only1percent]

The brain acts strangely when it isn’t receiving blood flow. This isn’t surprising or in any way mystical. The brain also seems to act strangely when the the heart is stopped even if is circulation is being provided artificially - hence the well know psychological effects of open heart surgery.