Erasing Death: The Science That Is Rewriting the Boundaries Between Life and Death

Returning intact from experiences humans could not previously survive fascinates Parnia, director of the AWARE Study and critical care medicine specialist. Formerly the provenance of soap operas and B-grade horror movies, resuscitation from the dead is possible after "ten minutes without a heartbeat," an old estimate of when one%E2%80%99s essence would be lost to permanent brain damage. The more we can reverse death the less we can define it; death no longer refers to a specific moment, but a process we can interrupt at key intervals. Parnia advocates "erasing" death, an effort so radical it could obliterate human life. Collecting testimonials describing the so-called "other side," he combines "revelations"%E2%80%94retained sensory memories and perceptions of movement%E2%80%94with traditional scientific methods to examine breakdowns in human systems, seeking critical links that, if restored, forestall dying. What happens when bodies live again, but are still likely to die from medical problems? Scientists push to comprehend consciousness when neurons don%E2%80%99t fire, but cannot explain why near-death experiences are "luminous" for some while resulting in depression in others. While "resuscitation science" is not new, its progress extends ethical dilemmas about when medical ability should be used to restore life. (Mar.)