People are taken aback after viewing a surprising simulation depicting what occurs in our brains when we die.
While the inevitable reality of death is undeniably terrifying and evokes profound existential dread, it appears that our brains perform a fascinating final act that is actually quite beautiful.
Although the process of death involves the shutting down of our vital organs, some medical sources like the Cleveland Clinic have suggested that our brain activity continues for several minutes post-mortem.
Understanding or visualizing what truly happens after death is challenging, but a startling simulation by content creator Zack D. Films offers an attempt to describe the brain’s activities at the moment of death.
“Right before you die your brain has a surge of activity causing a type of electrical wave,” he explains. “These waves activate parts of the brain associated with memory and consciousness and this can continue for up to two minutes after death.”
“Now since there isn’t a biological reason for this to happen,” he continued. “Some researchers believe that the brain is pre-planned to do this, giving you a chance to recall memories one last time.”
Personally, I experienced goosebumps and a bit of existential panic, and it appears many others felt similarly.
One YouTube commenter wrote: “I like the idea of these last few minutes being a feeling of total euphoria like you’ve never felt before in life. To comfort you during something so frightening.”
Another user commented, “Wait that’s actually so sad though. It’s like the brain is trying to comfort you and itself before dying by using your best memories.”
One user noted, “Your life flashes before your eyes makes so much sense.”
Another added, “It’s wild how our brain literally gives us a sendoff/memorial and comforts us.”
If you’re interested in delving deeper into the science, the concept of our brain replaying memories was examined in a study titled “Surge of neurophysiological coupling and connectivity of gamma oscillations in the dying human brain” published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
This study involved mapping the brain activity of four individuals during their dying moments and discovered bursts of brain activity after their hearts had stopped.
Sam Parnia, a pulmonologist at New York University Langone Medical Center, indicated that the study might be identifying a marker of lucid consciousness.
Additionally, Ajmal Zemmar, a neurosurgeon at the University of Louisville, mentioned that gamma waves could signify different brain parts working together to create an image or memory.
He describes how this process occurs as “one of the biggest mysteries in neuroscience,” but observing the same gamma waves in dying individuals suggests a biological mechanism for the phenomenon of the brain replaying memories in our final moments.
It’s quite touching to think that our brain gives us a final gentle gesture, but do you agree?