Consciousness May Linger After Death, Prompting a Reconsideration of What 'Dead' Really Means

A Telegraph-derived report presented at AAAS suggests death is a process and that consciousness may persist for hours after circulatory death. Anna Fowler’s review of over 20 studies indicates some patients recall surroundings during complete heart stoppage, challenging the idea that the brain immediately and permanently ceases activity. The findings raise ethical questions about organ donation practices and advocate redefining death as a staged, negotiable process rather than a single moment, with potential updates to US death definitions.