Everlasting mind

[Champagne]

I'm not really sure if this question should be under TV, Body & Soul or Science, so here goes�

I was watching Futurama last night and they have the heads of celebrities past kept 'alive' in special jars. So it got me thinking�

I've heard that when a person is beheaded, their mind is conscious for about 5 seconds afterwards, so they're actually aware of what is going on at the time. The advancement of science today has already achieved a head transplant (albeit not the most long lasting success and using a monkey!) and now a face transplant, plus with the advancement of nanotechnology, do you think that this will be a reality in the not so distant future?

[China Doll]

Oooh Champers, nice to see you in science! I popped in yesterday and haven't left yet... they're really rather nice in here (bit clever, mind).

Anyway, in answer to your question. I've heard that about heads as well but I think I read somewhere that the mind is not actually conscious but that the nerves are still functioning for a very brief period after beheading so their eyes might move or something like that.... (Isn't there a record of this happening to Anne Bolene (sp) ).

Bearing in mind that I think this is comparable to the last twitch before the body dies then no, I don't really think that this could be a reality.

That said, I'm sure someone will be along to correct me very soon! ;0)

[dawkins]

head transplant on a monkey?

[ugly_bob]

I want a monkey's head!!

I have a disembodied head in a jar on my desk. Forgot the embalming fluid though and it's starting to smell a bit now. Have to go out and find another one....

[Champagne]

Yes dawkins, see here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_transplant

[Champagne]

Hahahahahaha UglyBob. You already do have a monkey's head, hun! :o) And I don't think your Hannibal Lecter style head-in-a-jar constitutes modern day science.

I'm talking about neuro-surgery, nanotechnology and transplant advancements. We're already dabbling in stem cell procedures. Surely it's only a matter of time before the rich and famous (who obviously have nothing better to spend their money on) start demanding clones of themselves in order to save them from growing old. Or if they do eventually die, they'll want their head in a glass jar so they can carry on living and working as raconteurs at social functions. At least until scientists can create new bodies for them...

Hehe.

[dawkins]

well i'll be...

thank you champagne.

[jake-the-peg]

The beheaded story is most often told about Lavoisier (famous French Chemist, tax collector and victim of the guillotine).

The story goes that he asked an assistant to collect his head as it fell and he'd try to blink a message if he was still concious.

there has been some discussion on snopes (uban ledgend site) and it doesn't sound as if it's actually true but it does get told a lot.

[pb100191]

I guess it's just like a wasp. When you kill it, it's still moving. When i asked my Dad about this he said it was the nerves, but the wasp was dead. I suspect it's the same thing?

[Toureman]

Wow !!!!!! The science section has turned into "body and soul, What next?