Live data from Hacker News

First recording of a dying human brain shows waves similar to memory flashbacks (2022)

louisville.edu

61–70 of 299 posts

Re: First recording of a dying human brain shows waves similar to memory flashbacks (2022)

#61
post #33

I’m sure there would be a long line of willing terminal and euthanasia patients who would join a study to record their final moments, I’m surprised this hasn’t been done yet.

I am not so sure about this. What would motivate someone to willingly transform their last moments into a medical experiment, with all the risks of being treated in not-so-nice ways? Almost nobody wants to die in a hospital in the first place. And as part of a medical "experiment", no thanks. Science can fuck off as long as they don't have control over their (small, but existing) emotionally detached workers. https:/…

Why do people write wills? Why do people leave messages for their loved ones before they die? Why do people donate organs?

Because they care about leaving behind an impact after they die. I don't think it would be for everyone, but there surely be some people who would want to do this.

Re: First recording of a dying human brain shows waves similar to memory flashbacks (2022)

#62
post #42
post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am not so sure about this. What would motivate someone to willingly transform their last moments into a medical experiment, with all the risks of being treated in not-so-nice ways? Almost nobody wants to die in a hospital in the first place. And as part of a medical "experiment", no thanks. Science can fuck off as long as they don't have control over their (small, but existing) emotionally detached workers. https:/…

It doesn't matter that you aren't sure, and it doesn't even matter if most people agreed with you. Around 60 to 70 million people die every year globally, so if even a tiny fraction of these were willing to take part there would be sufficient numbers for a statistically significant study. In any case, the fact that a significant number of people opt for organ or body donation suggests they are willing to allow their…

Organ donations pretty much happen after the fact, so that isn't really worth a comparison. There is a reason why Monty Python did their "can we have your liver then" sketch...

Re: First recording of a dying human brain shows waves similar to memory flashbacks (2022)

#63
post #62
post #42

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It doesn't matter that you aren't sure, and it doesn't even matter if most people agreed with you. Around 60 to 70 million people die every year globally, so if even a tiny fraction of these were willing to take part there would be sufficient numbers for a statistically significant study. In any case, the fact that a significant number of people opt for organ or body donation suggests they are willing to allow their…

Organ donations pretty much happen after the fact, so that isn't really worth a comparison. There is a reason why Monty Python did their "can we have your liver then" sketch...

It's still a worthwhile comparison because it demonstrates that some people have a desire to turn their death into something meaningful or useful to others. After, all question was "what would motivate someone to willingly transform their last moments into a medical experiment?", and my examples are about motivation.

For some that motivation might be strong enough to be willing to undergo some discomfort (if, indeed there needs to be any discomfort in the first place, which isn't clear). For others, it might not be.

Re: First recording of a dying human brain shows waves similar to memory flashbacks (2022)

#65
post #63
post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Organ donations pretty much happen after the fact, so that isn't really worth a comparison. There is a reason why Monty Python did their "can we have your liver then" sketch...

It's still a worthwhile comparison because it demonstrates that some people have a desire to turn their death into something meaningful or useful to others. After, all question was "what would motivate someone to willingly transform their last moments into a medical experiment?", and my examples are about motivation. For some that motivation might be strong enough to be willing to undergo some discomfort (if, indeed…

If you say so--for the sake of winning an arguemnt--there you go. You can have your victory, I don't care. The difference is still very fundamental, in a literal sense. Most people opposed to organ donations have religious reasons. I am an (not opted-out) organ donor, and I don't care about that. However, I would violently oppose being subjected to more machines then absolutely necessary while dying.

Re: First recording of a dying human brain shows waves similar to memory flashbacks (2022)

#66
post #15

I have lost consciousness several times in my life. Not a pleasurable experience specially as last time I did it because of such extreme pain that I thought I was passing away. However I have had always recollection of those seconds or minutes when I was unconscious: there was always an intense and quick succession of memories and images accompanied by sound. At some point the external sound from people trying to rea…

For contrast, when I was put under with propofol for surgery, there was nothing. I thought I would gently fall asleep, but it was actually extremely fast. It went from "tell me about your life" which the anesthetist uses to check your state to "oh so came here for uni..." to "huh the surgery is over" in a single cut. Nothing in between, nothing like that thing you feel when before you fall asleep at night or wake up…

Anesthetics are very weird though. There's still a lot we don't know about how they work. They seem to act like you experienced, complete shutdown, for most people, which seems different from the states that people go into when unconscious or are near death usually.

And some people have a very different experience while under them - they are fully aware.

Re: First recording of a dying human brain shows waves similar to memory flashbacks (2022)

#68

I read an article a while back, than when something really bad happens to the body, the brain looks back into memories to "see" how to solve the problem - maybe it happened before and it will know what to do (like when you cut yourself the second time, you know exactly what to do). But because it never encountered something like it, it cannot find a solution. And apparently this is why people when they die see their…

Finding the article is a good case for AI chats, particularly ones with the direct links from the web in the answer. I tried perplexity and google ai mode, both failed

Re: First recording of a dying human brain shows waves similar to memory flashbacks (2022)

#69
post #48
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So is it similar to dreaming? Also, what do you mean by "sound"? Like music or actual sound from your memories?

Part of it has to do with the memories, which gradually gets overtaken by the voices of my wife, doctor or whomever was trying to wake me up. As an example, I think I was around 16 years old and I was very much into sport cycling and Tour de France. When I lost consciousness a slide show of Tour de France competition accompanied by the TV commentators rush into my thoughts. All of it at very high speed and extremely…

Very interesting thanks for sharing. And also a bit scary. It seems like you have found ways to live with this condition.
Post reply on HN