Uploaded May 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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In the remarkable phenomenon of “terminal lucidity”, people who have suffered from dementia for years recover their memory, are aware that they are dying and behave with surprising clarity, showing a burst of mental and physical energy. They can recognize people again, recall memories, and take part in activities they were previously unable to. Even for people who have not suffered from dementia, there is often a surge of energy soon before they die, sometimes called the “last rally”. Based on a collection of more than 100 case histories, I have studied end-of-life experiences in non-human animals, together with my colleagues Pam Smart and Dr Michael Nahm, a leading researcher on human terminal lucidity. We published these results in a paper called Experiences of Dying Animals: Parallels With End-Of-Life Experiences in Humans in the Journal of Scientific Exploration. We were able to group these experiences into specific categories, most of which are similar to end-of-life experiences in people.
In this video I summarize our findings with examples from some of the case studies.
This is part of a new series of videos, called “Findings”, in which I discuss a wide range of my research projects.
By joining Rupert's Substack you'll gain access to ad-free episodes, early access to videos, and exclusive content. Join at rupertsheldrake.substack.com
#science
Support this content and my research by becoming a channel member or subscribing to my Substack, for early access and exclusive content.
rupertsheldrake.substack.com
In the remarkable phenomenon of “terminal lucidity”, people who have suffered from dementia for years recover their memory, are aware that they are dying and behave with surprising clarity, showing a burst of mental and physical energy. They can recognize people again, recall memories, and take part in activities they were previously unable to. Even for people who have not suffered from dementia, there is often a surge of energy soon before they die, sometimes called the “last rally”. Based on a collection of more than 100 case histories, I have studied end-of-life experiences in non-human animals, together with my colleagues Pam Smart and Dr Michael Nahm, a leading researcher on human terminal lucidity. We published these results in a paper called Experiences of Dying Animals: Parallels With End-Of-Life Experiences in Humans in the Journal of Scientific Exploration. We were able to group these experiences into specific categories, most of which are similar to end-of-life experiences in people.
In this video I summarize our findings with examples from some of the case studies.
This is part of a new series of videos, called “Findings”, in which I discuss a wide range of my research projects.
By joining Rupert's Substack you'll gain access to ad-free episodes, early access to videos, and exclusive content. Join at rupertsheldrake.substack.com
#science
