Near-death experiences are one of the most puzzling phenomena in psychology. A near-death experience is when a person appears to be clinically ‘dead’ for a short period—when their heart stops beating, ...

People who have stood at the edge of life often return with stories that defy scientific logic: vivid recollections, out-of-body visions, and overwhelming emotional clarity. A new analysis led by Dr.

Those who study near-death experiences are occasionally confronted with cases that resist straightforward interpretation. The broader phenomenon is well established: Millions of people worldwide have ...

An ambitious effort to create a neurophysiological paradigm to explain near-death experiences has failed to capture many fascinating and often perplexing aspects of people's brushes with death, top ...

Ms. Grose is a Times Opinion writer and the author of a Times newsletter on culture, social change and the American family. Marzena Abrahamik is a photographer based in Chicago. Jan. 7, 2026 ...