Uploaded September 2025 | Updated September 2026, 52 minutes ago
Did guillotine victims remain CONSCIOUS AFTER DEATH? What about those executed with an axe or a sword? Did that make a difference? Was death by beheading quick and painless, or horrific for the victim? These are questions which have been debated for centuries and they form the basis of today’s video from History Calling.
Have you ever wondered what really happens in the final moments after decapitation? Could a person remain conscious, even for a few seconds, after their head has been separated from their body? In this episode we dive into the chilling history of beheadings and the science behind brain activity after death. From guillotine executions during the French Revolution to modern studies on rats and other non-human creatures, we explore whether there is any truth to the long-standing claim that severed heads can blink, move, or even respond to voices in the moments after execution. We’ll also ask, was the guillotine a quick way to die, as promised by those who popularised it in late 18th century France, or was it no better than the sometimes botched executions by axe or sword which it was meant to replace?
We’ll examine historical eyewitness accounts, including the eerie tales of victims seemingly reacting post-decapitation such as Mary, Queen of Scots and victims of the French Reign of Terror and compare them to what neuroscience tell us today. Could the human brain really remain alive for seconds after decapitation, or are these stories the product of fear, myth, and exaggeration?
Join me for a fascinating (and slightly morbid) look at what may be the last few seconds of human consciousness. If you’re interested in the intersection of science, history and the mysteries of death, you won’t want to miss this video.
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
DEATH, MURDER AND CORPSES PLAYLISTS
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLSjVq5Qtb0HqKJP-pwWUcP1OtH1hRvN4
EXECUTION OF ANNE BOLEYN: HOLLYWOOD VS HISTORY
youtu.be/gBczwBsGCqM
DEATH OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS
youtu.be/cAxYKkrFOAI
EXECUTION OF KATHERINE HOWARD AND JANE BOLEYN
youtu.be/LaiU2HHTuKQ
THE CORPSE OF CHARLES I
youtu.be/71HpXT1q0EU
DID MARIE ANTOINETTE’S HAIR TURN WHITE THE NIGHT BEFORE HER EXECUTION?
youtu.be/eCMSKrTzS7Y
LEARN MORE:
[Journal article] Matthew D. Turner, ‘“The Most Gentle of Lethal Methods”: The Question of Retained Consciousness Following Decapitation’ in Cureus (2023).
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9930870/#:~:text=Jean%2DJoseph%20Sue%20agreed%20that,incalculably%20long%E2%80%9D%20for%20the%20victim.
GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
Blue Yeti Microphone: amzn.to/3FgEDYq
Go-Pro Hero 13 camera: amzn.to/41H4Xnt
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/3vaVxjU
Memory Card: amzn.to/3KeLZZs
DJI Drone: amzn.to/39hROZm
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
#ConsciousAfterDeath #ScienceOfExecution #GuillotineTruth
Did guillotine victims remain CONSCIOUS AFTER DEATH? What about those executed with an axe or a sword? Did that make a difference? Was death by beheading quick and painless, or horrific for the victim? These are questions which have been debated for centuries and they form the basis of today’s video from History Calling.
Have you ever wondered what really happens in the final moments after decapitation? Could a person remain conscious, even for a few seconds, after their head has been separated from their body? In this episode we dive into the chilling history of beheadings and the science behind brain activity after death. From guillotine executions during the French Revolution to modern studies on rats and other non-human creatures, we explore whether there is any truth to the long-standing claim that severed heads can blink, move, or even respond to voices in the moments after execution. We’ll also ask, was the guillotine a quick way to die, as promised by those who popularised it in late 18th century France, or was it no better than the sometimes botched executions by axe or sword which it was meant to replace?
We’ll examine historical eyewitness accounts, including the eerie tales of victims seemingly reacting post-decapitation such as Mary, Queen of Scots and victims of the French Reign of Terror and compare them to what neuroscience tell us today. Could the human brain really remain alive for seconds after decapitation, or are these stories the product of fear, myth, and exaggeration?
Join me for a fascinating (and slightly morbid) look at what may be the last few seconds of human consciousness. If you’re interested in the intersection of science, history and the mysteries of death, you won’t want to miss this video.
BUY MY BOOK (Find Your Irish Ancestors Online): amzn.to/3Z2ChnG
Website (with 2 FREE DOWNLOADS): historycallingofficial.com
Patreon: patreon.com/historycalling
Amazon storefront: amazon.com/shop/historycalling
Instagram: instagram.com/historycalling
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:
DEATH, MURDER AND CORPSES PLAYLISTS
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLLSjVq5Qtb0HqKJP-pwWUcP1OtH1hRvN4
EXECUTION OF ANNE BOLEYN: HOLLYWOOD VS HISTORY
youtu.be/gBczwBsGCqM
DEATH OF MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS
youtu.be/cAxYKkrFOAI
EXECUTION OF KATHERINE HOWARD AND JANE BOLEYN
youtu.be/LaiU2HHTuKQ
THE CORPSE OF CHARLES I
youtu.be/71HpXT1q0EU
DID MARIE ANTOINETTE’S HAIR TURN WHITE THE NIGHT BEFORE HER EXECUTION?
youtu.be/eCMSKrTzS7Y
LEARN MORE:
[Journal article] Matthew D. Turner, ‘“The Most Gentle of Lethal Methods”: The Question of Retained Consciousness Following Decapitation’ in Cureus (2023).
pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9930870/#:~:text=Jean%2DJoseph%20Sue%20agreed%20that,incalculably%20long%E2%80%9D%20for%20the%20victim.
GEAR USED
Apple MacBook Pro Laptop (for video editing): amzn.to/3S6IoRK
Blue Yeti Microphone: amzn.to/3FgEDYq
Go-Pro Hero 13 camera: amzn.to/41H4Xnt
GoPro 3-Way 2.0 (Tripod/Grip/Arm): amzn.to/3vaVxjU
Memory Card: amzn.to/3KeLZZs
DJI Drone: amzn.to/39hROZm
NB: Links above may be affiliate links. This means if you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission. It in no way affects the price you pay.
Open Street Map copyright information
openstreetmap.org/copyright
Creative Commons licenses used see creativecommons.org/licenses
#ConsciousAfterDeath #ScienceOfExecution #GuillotineTruth
