|
That's what we love about our readers -- they're really, really gross. But we're not judging you. As it turns out, a lot of sickos, er, people have wondered the same thing. We wish we could've consulted Marie Antoinette, but we had to settle for About.com. According to the site, the current medical consensus is that the human head is alive for about 13 seconds after being separated from the body. How can this be? Apparently what technically kills the victim isn't the beheading. It's the lack of oxygen and other chemicals in the bloodstream. "The precise post-execution lifespan will depend on how much oxygen, and other chemicals, were
in the brain at the point of decapitation." Still, that's not to say the head is aware it's been decapitated. Depending on the individual, consciousness can either "cease immediately" or go on for much of the 13-second span. The oft-quoted Straight Dope concurs. According to expert researcher Cecil Adams, a neurosurgeon named Dr. Robert Fink believes "The brain might remain conscious as long as 15 seconds" before checking out. Other experts believe the average span is about five seconds. So, there you have it -- the head is briefly "alive" after it's been cut off. (Though, fortunately, not for long.)
|
