New light on near-death flashes

"Near-death experiences during cardiac arrest - from flashing lights to life flashing before one's eyes - may be down to carbon dioxide, a study finds. Examination of 52 patients found levels of the body's waste gas were higher in the 11 who reported such experiences, the journal Critical Care reports. The Slovenian researchers hope to move on the debate over why so many cardiac arrest patients report the experiences. Reasons previously suggested for the phenomenon include religion and drugs. Those who have had near-death experiences report various encounters, including seeing a tunnel or bright light, a mystical entity, or looking down from the ceiling at the scene below in an "out of body" experience. Others describe a simple but overwhelming feeling of peace and tranquillity. It is thought between one in ten and nearly a quarter of cardiac arrest patients have experienced one of these sensations" - BBC

Study into near-death experiences

"A large study is to examine near-death experiences in cardiac arrest patients. Doctors at 25 UK and US hospitals will study 1,500 survivors to see if people with no heartbeat or brain activity can have 'out of body' experiences. Some people report seeing a tunnel or bright light, others recall looking down from the ceiling at medical staff..." - BBC