Israeli Researchers Map Near-Death Experiences Using Geometry
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
Scientists at the University of Haifa have used geometric pictograms to map near-death experiences, finding a link between the shape of perceived spaces and their color. Fifty participants described their NDEs, with conical spaces often being achromatic and arched spaces frequently remembered as colorful. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, aims to provide a more precise descriptive language for these rare phenomena.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli researchers used geometric shapes to map near-death experiences, finding color links to space types.
- Fifty participants described their NDEs using pictograms, categorizing visions into conical, arched, domed, and enclosed spaces.
- Conical near-death spaces were mostly achromatic, while arched spaces were predominantly colorful.
- The study published in Frontiers in Psychology bypasses verbal limitations for describing NDEs.
- Researchers focused on description, not the causes or mechanisms of near-death experiences.
Neurobiologists at the University of Haifa have developed a novel method to study near-death experiences (NDEs) by asking participants to describe their visions using geometric shapes and colors, bypassing the limitations of verbal descriptions. Fifty individuals who had undergone NDEs participated in online sessions lasting up to three hours. They recalled their experiences and recreated the perceived spaces using a catalog of geometric pictograms, noting their position, movement, and the colors and shapes they observed.
The reconstructed spaces fell into four categories: conical (including the classic "tunnel" vision), arched, domed, and enclosed spaces surrounding the observer. The study, published in Frontiers in Psychology, found a significant correlation between the type of space and its color. Of the 28 conical spaces described, 22 were achromatic (black and white, gray, or pure light). In contrast, 27 out of 31 arched spaces were remembered as colorful.
While the researchers acknowledge the limitations of their study, such as the small sample size and the potential influence of the pictogram set, they assert that geometric language offers a more precise way to differentiate and describe these rare experiences. The study focused solely on describing the spaces, not on investigating the underlying causes or mechanisms of NDEs. The findings draw parallels to known physiological phenomena, such as tunnel vision linked to oxygen deprivation and the "Ganzfeld effect" associated with uniform visual fields potentially inducing hallucinations.
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