In June 2021, a group of scientists from Denmark and Belgium published an article in the journal Brain Communications with a hypothesis about the biological origin of near-death experiences (NDE). According to the study, NDEs stems from the natural reaction some animals have to life-threatening situations—thanatosis. When thanatosis is triggered, the living creature freezes, pretending to be dead in order to scare off a predator avoiding carrion.
Following the publication of their article, the scientists received a large number of critical comments. The researchers’ arguments were practically equated to an esoteric position. Two of the authors—Daniel Kondziella and Charlotte Martial—gave an official response: the mystical point of view assumes that people can have conscious experiences without a functioning brain. This option is far-fetched. It is much more logical to assume that a person experiences NDE immediately before losing consciousness. After successful resuscitation, this experience can be recalled.
Moreover, the NDE phenomenon differs according to the particular situation, for example:
— Threat to life with a brain malfunction (such as cardiac arrest)
— Threat to life without brain disorders (as in an accident)
— No threat to life (such as drug abuse or fainting)
In fact, the term “near-death” is incorrect, because in half of the cases of NDE, the people experiencing it are not in real danger.
According to the authors, the problem is that spiritual values often contradict the principles of evolution. The conflict between the proponents of the evolutionary and spiritual models is as old as Darwin’s theory itself. So the thanatosis hypothesis has every chance to stand the test of time.
The response was published in February 2022 in the journal Brain Communications.
