8 Scientific Theories About Death

2. Near Death Experiences

With 5% of Americans claiming to have had a near death experience according to a Gallup poll, there must be something in it, right? Whilst, scientifically speaking, it is unlikely to be caused by the soul literally leaving the body and making a beeline for the heavenly plane, 13 million Americans can't all be lying, so there must be something that causes it.

One of the most famous experiences, of moving through a tunnel towards a bright light, could actually be a result of a lack of blood and oxygen flow to the eye, causing tunnel vision. The "out of body experience", however, could be a little more complicated.

Neuroscientist Andrew Newberg, thinks that it could be a product of a warring nervous system. By this he means that both the sympathetic nervous system, which is in charge of kicking you into action in emergencies, and parasympathetic nervous system, which is responsible for calming you down, fire up during a NDE, whereas they usually take it in turns. The clash of these two titans can cause your brain to fire on all cylinders, generating vivid visions, memories and "rushing" feelings, but will simultaneously make you feel floaty, light and calm, just like the moments before you fall asleep.

It's unsure as to whether the experience is an accident of a dying brain, or whether it is actually a defense mechanism to protect us against trauma.