h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Is there such a thing as life after death and how can you tell?

Using Google and Wikipedia is forbidden

There are klaxons, of course, so be bold - preferably interesting - but never obvious.


Good luck.

Yes, because other things continue living.

DGI+1

yes - but that's not the answer I am looking for.

OK, I'll bite. My from last irm is feeling lonely.

There is life growing out of dead things. Can't give you any example right now (too much ), but a bit like the phoenix.

You know what I didn't think to klaxon "phoenix" - how silly of me - so you escape, unmolested by the loud noise and the flashing lights.

Gah!

no! its all wooo

It's great that you're so honest, Clive. And I actually expected the klaxon for that.

OK, I'm wondering if there is a clue in the title (which, btw, reminds me of the film 'Dead Men don't wear Plaid' - a b/w film with Steve Martin (I think) and VERY funny).

So, what life are we talking about? Plant, animal?

fungi

Taff

"No" -5

I play all my QIs straight up and I try to be as helpful as I can be without giving away too much.

There is a sort of a clue in the title but it requires no finagling it's all right there as is.

What life are we talking about - the living kind.

Not fungi, Taff.

considering we are all composed of atoms, life must continue after death it might not be in a form we know, but atoms, protons ect will bond with one another..

Hmm, what defines life? Growth?

Hair and fingernails keep growing after a person died.

whats the number????

near death experiences

the feeling you get of floating above your body and going down the tunnel with the bright light at the end

we could carry out an experiment

every time a patient come in we place a board at the top of the bed and bung a several digit number on it, so it is only visible from above the bed, then when patients say the left their body we ask

whats the number????

if the tell us the number there is some evidence to follow up

if they cant, it was just an halucionation brought on by oxygen starvation

How about in a form that we do know and can recognise?

Lota of s here again. I must go to bed now. Don't post too much.

No, dear - sorry.

To quote the respected Forensic Anthropologist William R. Maples:

"It is a myth that air and fingernails continue to grow after death, what really happens is the skin may retract around them making the hair and nails prickle up and stick out more prominently Eric Maria Remarque in his novel "All quiet on the Western Front", imagines a dead friend's nails continuing to grow in weird subterranean corkscrews after his burial. It is a powerful and disturbing image but it is pure moonshine. No such thing occurs."

There's a very (emphasise very) tangential link here to NDE, but it's not the answer.

what about brain death

none of the highr brain functions operate so the 'self' is dead but all the autonomus functions continue, heart, breath,

so the patient is both alive and dead and can continue this way for years

Nope - we are not talking about something 'half-alive' having both parts which are living and dead, but something which is both dead and alive at the same time.


Now I know that sounds confusing and not just a little bit paradoxical - but right now I'm fine with that and it'll all became clear, I promise.