Brain Chemistry or a Trip to Heaven?

by Laurie McAndish King on May 25, 2010


Person standing in a tunnel of light

iStockphoto.com Scientists have long dismissed reports of people "seeing the light" during near-death experiences. But now researchers are taking a closer look and asking whether a mind can operate while the brain has stopped.


Barbara Bradley Hagerty writes about near-death experiences for NPR. Originally posted May 22, 2009: “We’ve all heard the stories about near-death experiences: the tunnel, the white light, the encounter with long-dead relatives now looking very much alive.”

“Scientists have cast a skeptical eye on these accounts. They say that these feelings and visions are simply the result of a brain shutting down.

“But now some researchers are giving a closer neurological look at near-death experiences and asking: Can your mind operate when your brain has stopped?”

The rest of the article, Decoding The Mystery Of Near-Death Experiences, is here.

Barbara Bradley Hagerty writes about near-death experiences for NPR. Originally posted May 22, 2009: “We’ve all heard the stories about near-death experiences: the tunnel, the white light, the encounter with long-dead relatives now looking very much alive.

{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }

Dennis Tate April 9, 2013 at 6:55 am

I personally am convinced that near death experiences are in a sense a trip to heaven but something strange about the whole thing is that heaven seems to be inside of us somehow???!!!

Since 1990 NDE accounts have been one of my favourite subjects to study though books and webpages. Just reading about them is profoundly uplifting and encouraging!

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