Around 5% of people report memories of a near-death experience

The body's response to cardiac arrest has been linked to near-death experiences

Most people who report near‑death experiences experience events like out‑of‑body sensations, altered cognition, emotional and spiritual shifts, or even supernatural phenomena, particularly during cardiac arrest. Research suggests many such experiences may be linked to brain-generated sensory distortions that can be experimentally replicated, suggesting a physiological rather than mystical cause.

Near-death experiences bear similarities to the tradition of religious visions

Near-death experiences are often associated with Christian concepts such as heaven or angels, but people of all faiths (or lack thereof) have reported these events. This in-depth piece by Professor Atif Khalil examines the intersections of religion and science and the common elements in Western, often Christian, experiences with those of Eastern religions such as Islam and Buddhism.

Accounts of near-death experiences share similarities with hallucinogens

This short film explores human experiences of dying, blending personal reflections with scientific insight. It aims to illuminate the emotional, psychological, and physiological aspects of that final transition, and draws out similarities of psychedlic drug use and accounts of near-death experiences.

What happens in a dying brain?

Near-death experiences usually happen during death or on the border of life and death when a person isn't understood to be conscious. This article details the science of what's going on with the brain during NDEs.

Brain activity goes into overdrive around the point of death

Recent studies suggest increased electrical activity in the brain during and after clinical death could be responsible for near-death experiences. Both high-frequency gamma waves (linked to perception and attention) and low-frequency beta waves (related to focus and concentration) increased and became more synchronized across multiple brain regions, potentially resulting in a near-death state of heightened consciousness.

Near-death experiences have been reported across cultures across for millennia

This collection of ten of the earliest recorded NDEs gives an idea of how pervasive the phenomenon really is. Stories range from ancient Greek philosopher Plato telling the story of a soldier named Er to a first-century Japanese monk who claimed to have visited both heaven and hell.

NDEs typically change people's outlooks drastically and can prompt depression

The phenomena are regularly categorized as hallucinations, but some specialists are interested in their psychological nuances. Many survivors report feeling less anxiety about death, though some surveys show the experiences can increase physiological sensitivities.

The oldest medical report of a near-death experience dates to around 1740

In 2014, Dr. Philippe Charlier, a medical doctor and archeologist, found a French medical book from 1740 that described the near-death experience of a pharmacist. Using the Greyson Scale, Charlier found that the incident would have rated at least 12/32, more than high enough to scientifically classify as an NDE by today’s standards.

Some scientists argue NDEs are constructed by the brain, not actually experienced

Despite the powerful memories associated with NDEs, scientists question the idea that the experiences prove consciousness endures after death, opting instead to find physiological explanations for common reports of out-of-body experiences, euphoric and lucid thinking, and more.

University of Virginia has the nation's premier near-death studies department

Researcher Bruce Greyson has been studying this phenomenon at the University of Virginia for decades, where he now directs the Division of Perceptual Studies. This piece from the university’s magazine explores the breadth and substance of the department, founded by pioneer researcher Ian Stevenson.

Terminal lucidity is the phenomenon of sudden, heightened mental clarity when on the verge of death

The "Let's Talk Near Death" podcast explores phenomena around the end of life, inviting guests to recount their own experiences. This episode focuses on the phenomenon known as "terminal lucidity," where patients experience clarity, vivid memory recall, and more, typically following a heart attack, stroke, or other trauma.

An avowed rationalist discusses his near-death experience

Documentarian Sebastian Junger, a veteran reporter and skeptic discusses his experiences—in particular, a frightening vision—after an aneurysm and internal hemorrhaging left him nearly dead. Junger talks about his NDE, the possible scientific explanations, and how that day changed his fundamental worldview.

See the 16-question Greyson questionnaire on near-death experiences

The Greyson Scale, developed in the early 1980s, provides a questionnaire for people reporting near-death experiences that allows researchers some ability to quantify and track the phenomenon. See the questions and how they're scored here.

Being struck by lightning has a mortality rate of about 10%

Near-immediate deaths are the result of electrical disruptions in the heart and nervous system, causing cardiac arrest, but severe skin burns, temporary paralysis, and blown eardrums are more common. About 74% of survivors are left with a long-term disability, which includes brain damage and changes in memory and mood.

Why don’t you remember all your dreams?

Despite being a near-nightly occurrence, we remember very few of our dreams. Researchers believe reduced activity in regions where memories are stored, a different neurochemical environment during sleep, and rapid transition during waking contribute to this phenomenon.

Researchers believe the brain consolidates memories, processes emotions, and plans for the future during dream states

Why do we sometimes jolt awake before falling asleep?

Around 70% of people are estimated to experience the sensation of falling and jerking awake right as they're about to drift to sleep. That mysterious phenomenon is called hypnic jerking. As common as it is, hypnotic jerking remains disconcerting and hard to explain. While we don't yet have clear answers, peruse this article in Popular Science for some possible explanations as to why this happens.

More than half of American adults believe in the afterlife

It’s hard to find actual data regarding ghosts, but a survey conducted by Pew Research Group in 2023, revealed that around half of the US adult population believes ghosts can interact with the living, with most thinking that spirits can help rather than harm us.

What exactly is déjà vu?

While people have wondered about déjà vu for a long time, only recently have scientists started experimentally investigating what might trigger it. Read this deep dive into the latest science.

How do you survive a plane crash?

Almost 95% of plane crashes aren’t fatal. So what separates survivors from victims? One man’s story may hold the key, plus expert tips that could save your life.

How specialized oxygen mixtures like heliox enable deep diving without feeling drunk

Beyond a depth of about 30 meters (98 feet), if divers are breathing surface air, which is about 78% nitrogen, underwater pressure forces more nitrogen into the bloodstream and induces nitrogen narcosis, whose symptoms resemble alcohol intoxication. Through saturation diving, where nitrogen is replaced with helium—an inert gas—deep divers can maintain cognitive function while working for extended periods.

Humans accurately detect their goose bumps only about one-third of the time

Though people do experience goose bumps frequently, goose bump research suggests that humans think they’re experiencing goose bumps in response to emotional cues more often than they truly are.

Tinnitus estimates vary, but may occur in 10%-15% of the population

This video discusses the mechanisms underlying tinnitus and explores the knowns and unknowns about the condition. Tinnitus most commonly occurs among those with hearing loss, suggesting that cochlear damage may be a factor.

Blindfolded people could identify objects by touch alone a week after encountering them

These touch memories are more complex and durable than previously thought. In research published in 2018, blindfolded volunteers touched over 150 household objects for about 10 seconds each, and afterward correctly identified the objects more than 90 percent of the time when presented with the object and a similar one. Participants still knew most of the objects a week later with about 85 percent accuracy. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

What percent Neanderthal are you?

Many of us carry around 2% Neanderthal DNA in our genes. Museum human evolution expert Prof. Chris Stringer discusses why and what it means.

About half of physicians report feeling burned out

Burnout is often considered a disorder of caregivers, with teachers, doctors, nurses, and social workers reporting high levels of burnout. Among K-12 education professionals, 44% reported experiencing burnout in 2022. Reported rates from emergency care workers is about 60%, the highest in the field.

After 25 people used virtual reality headsets to practice flying with virtual wings—flapping their arms—their visual cortex responded to the wings almost as if they were real arms, treating them as body parts.

According to the physics of black holes, our 4D reality may be a hologram—a projection of information coded on a 2D surface on the edge of the universe.

See images of medical cases of firework injuries shared on this 'Instagram for doctors.' (Warning: Graphic content)

For centuries, Niagara Falls has been a magnet for daredevils seeking to conquer one of nature's most powerful wonders, with its 200-foot drop and water rushing at 32 feet per second with 280 tons of force.

44% of Americans say they pray at least once a day—discover how your state's religiosity stacks up against the rest of the country.

Massive blooms of microscopic plankton called dinoflagellates produce the neon blue light seen in glowing tides.

See the 25 of the best photos of auroras from around the world.

A Yale student wrote a profound essay about the consulting industry's influence on elite college students that was published in a book of her writing after she died in a post-graduation car accident.

Lesser-known phobias include turophobia, or the fear of cheese, and nomophobia, the fear of being without your cell phone.

Neutron stars, the remains of some massive stars after they explode in a supernova, are the densest directly observable objects in the universe.

In 2009, the nation was gripped by the story of a missing young boy who was believed to be floating over Colorado in a homemade balloon, until it was revealed that he was at home the whole time.

As of 2025, the most cited papers in science include a review of graphene, methods to improve image recognition, streamlining electron density calculations, and optimizing protein studies.

In 2018, 26-year-old missionary John Allen Chau was killed by tribesmen after attempting to reach and evangelize on India's isolated North Sentinel Island

Memecoins are a type of cryptocurrency—a form of digital currency with a wide variety of uses—created around popular 'memes,' or viral internet jokes.

Discover the catastrophic consequences of a failure of the US electrical grid—something that is more likely than many Americans think.

A 2019 Facebook event called on attendees to "Storm Area 51, They Can't Stop All of Us," resulting in countless memes, the creation of a music festival, and eventually the arrests of those who did try to approach the area.

After her fellow cult members tried to kill her with an LSD-infused hamburger, one member of the Manson Family, the murderous cult led by Charles Manson, decided to testify against the group's leader.

Human-to-human transmission of hantavirus remains extremely rare, so the 2026 hantavirus cruise ship outbreak doesn't mean we're facing a COVID-style pandemic risk.

Against his wishes, Albert Einstein's brain was removed before his cremation, and the pathologist responsible stored it for decades in mason jars within a beer cooler.

El Niño, Spanish for 'the boy,' was named after Jesus Christ because the phenomenon resembled the weather changes observed around Christmastime.

Exploring the Larry Bird punch that almost changed March Madness

US housing costs have risen by roughly 175% between 1991 and 2026—but a growing number of Gen Zers are becoming homeowners anyway. In 2025, 4% of homebuyers were Gen Z, up from 3% the year before.

Domino's Pizza's 30-minute delivery guarantee was responsible for the chain's 1980s surge, but it was discontinued after the company was found liable for delivery driver accidents.

The Nasdaq's 'Magnificent 7' companies are responsible for roughly 40% of the Nasdaq 100 index's gains, while the remaining 93 companies account for the other 60%.