In 2025, significant advancements in consciousness research included exploring the possibility of universal consciousness before the Big Bang, recognizing consciousness as more widespread and ancient across species, breakthroughs in psychedelic therapy and altered states, progress in competing theories of consciousness, and increased attention to near-death experiences and their psychological impact, marking a shift towards viewing consciousness as a tangible scientific frontier.
A 2022 study unexpectedly recorded brain activity during a patient's death, revealing that the brain may remain active and exhibit memory-like waves, such as gamma oscillations, suggesting that our lives might indeed flash before our eyes as we die, although findings are preliminary and based on a single case.
Originally Published 2 months ago — by Hacker News
A 2022 study recorded the first human brain waves during dying, showing patterns similar to memory flashbacks, which supports theories about consciousness and memory during death. The article also explores personal experiences with unconsciousness, anesthesia, and near-death states, highlighting the complex and mysterious nature of the dying process.
A new study led by Jimo Borjigin, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan, has revealed unexpected brain activity in a dying patient, challenging previous beliefs about the brain's behavior during death. The study suggests that the dying brain may exhibit heightened activity and connectivity, potentially corresponding to near-death experiences. This finding has the potential to reshape our understanding of death and consciousness, sparking renewed interest and debate in the field of near-death studies.
A new study has identified the sequence of events that lead to the permanent cessation of neural activity in dying brains. The research sheds light on near-death experiences and could potentially lead to medical interventions to reverse brain death. When oxygen supplies run out, neurons rapidly deplete their cellular fuel and become destabilized, triggering a surge in brain activity associated with conscious experiences. This is followed by a wave of death, causing permanent functional and structural changes. However, the process can be reversed if the brain is reoxygenated before the wave of death completes its work. The study provides insights into protecting the brains of patients experiencing cardiorespiratory failure.
The documentary film "After Death" explores near-death experiences through the accounts of survivors, including well-known figures like Raymond Moody and Don Piper. The film presents re-enactments of these encounters with the hereafter, but lacks originality and energy in its storytelling. While it offers a mix of spiritual journeys and visions created by the human mind, the film fails to deliver a sense of epiphany and falls short in its execution.
Neuroscientists from New York University have conducted a study revealing that some patients who were revived by CPR had clear memories of experiencing death and exhibited brain patterns associated with thought and memory while unconscious. The study found that nearly 40 percent of the patients had normal or nearly normal brain wave activity, even an hour after their hearts had stopped. The researchers suggest that the dying brain removes inhibitory systems, allowing access to new dimensions of reality and the recall of stored memories. This study provides evidence for the reality of near-death experiences and opens the door for further exploration into what happens when a person dies.
A groundbreaking study led by Sam Parnia, an intensive care doctor and associate professor at NYU Langone Health, has found brain patterns in dying patients that correlate with commonly reported near-death experiences (NDEs). The study observed 567 patients in 25 hospitals worldwide undergoing CPR after cardiac arrest, with EEG brain signals revealing episodes of heightened consciousness up to an hour after the arrest. While most patients were not resuscitated, 11 survivors reported awareness during CPR, and six reported a near-death experience. The findings challenge the belief that the brain dies after a few minutes of oxygen deprivation and suggest that the brain can respond and restore function even after an hour, opening up new possibilities for treatment and understanding consciousness.
A study of cardiac arrest survivors reveals that nearly 40% of people undergoing CPR have memories, dreamlike experiences, or some form of perception even when unconscious. Brain waves show signs of activity suggesting awareness for up to an hour as they are being resuscitated. Some patients reported transcendent recalled experiences of death, while others had positive or negative memories. The study, which monitored 567 people who underwent cardiac arrest resuscitation, also found gamma, delta, theta, alpha, and beta waves suggesting mental function during CPR. The research highlights the need for more understanding of the mental health impact of resuscitation and emphasizes the importance of CPR and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in saving lives.
A new study led by Dr. Sam Parnia, an NYU Langone Health intensive care physician, has found that near-death experiences (NDEs) are associated with brain activity after the heart stops and breathing ceases. The study involved measuring electrical activity in the brains of patients undergoing resuscitation attempts, and although only a small percentage of patients were successfully revived, those who reported NDEs described consistent experiences such as a sense of separation, life review, and encountering a divine being. The study's findings challenge the notion that NDEs are mere hallucinations and suggest that consciousness may persist even after clinical death. However, some experts have criticized the study's conclusions, highlighting the need for further research in this area.
Surgeons and medical professionals share their scariest moments during operations, including operating on the wrong knee, accidentally ripping a patient's dural sac, nearly lacerating a major blood vessel, encountering severe tissue rotting, discovering a golf ball-sized blood clot in the heart, accidentally opening a major artery, dealing with ruptured bladders, administering anticoagulants without realizing it, and experiencing various surgical errors and complications.
Reddit users share their shocking near-death experiences, including inhaling a cracker leading to pneumonia, being born with collapsed lungs, falling from a mountain while rock climbing, and surviving a tooth abscess that could have reached the brain. These personal accounts highlight the resilience and survival instincts of individuals in extraordinary circumstances.
Survivors share their terrifying near-death experiences, including incidents such as narrowly avoiding being hit by a flying steel bar in a steel mill, being crushed and suffocated in a conveyor belt accident, escaping a car accident by quickly maneuvering out of the way, and surviving a brutal attack by a moose in the wilderness. These stories serve as reminders of the importance of workplace safety, defensive driving, and understanding how to handle encounters with wildlife.
From Jim Carrey enduring eight hours of daily makeup to Danny Trejo being hypnotized by Charles Manson, these actors share their eerie and traumatic memories in Hollywood. Drew Barrymore opens up about her struggles with addiction at a young age, while Peter Mayhew had to wear colorful vests to avoid being mistaken for Bigfoot. Michael J. Fox reveals a near-death experience while filming a scene in the Back to the Future franchise.
Scientists observed an increase in brain activity in dying patients, including a surge of gamma waves, which could potentially help explain near-death experiences. The study monitored four comatose patients who were taken off life support, and found that two of them exhibited gamma wave activity after their hearts had stopped. The lead author of the study hopes to collect more data on dying human brains to better understand the death experience.
