Neuroscientists have recorded the activity of a dying human brain and discovered rhythmic brain wave patterns around the time of death that are similar to those occurring during dreaming, memory recall, and meditation. Now, a study published to Frontiers brings new insight into a possible organizational role of the brain during death and suggests an explanation for vivid life recall in near-death experiences.
“Through generating oscillations involved in memory retrieval, the brain may be playing a last recall of important life events just before we die, similar to the ones reported in near-death experiences,” Zemmar speculated.
Jesus, I think of that episode way too much. Mine would be some corporate suit who doesn't know how to do anything except look good for meetings, dumb as dogshit, a total yes-man, got his job because of his dad, hates children, and was prissy.
I was caught in a rip current, in close to zero Celsius salt water, with significant waves as a teenager. My wetsuit was inadequate, to say the least, and my surfboard was lost because the leash failed (think of it as a flotation device).
I was sure I was going to die. I didn't. But, yeah, every single second of my life was screaming through my brain while I pleaded with any force in the universe to save me.
I eventually got control of my breathing and swam across the rip and let the waves take me in. I was cold for a long time.
That was my first time surfing. Wasn't my last but I learned a lot that day.
The that took me there and loaned me the gear didn't even go in the water (said he was right behind me).
I can certainly see this as evolutionarily beneficial. When you're on the verge of dying and you suddenly have a recall of a lot of your experiences in life it may lead to you being able to survive.