In some religions, people believe in reincarnation or an afterlife, but in medicine, life is generally considered to end when the heart stops beating. Recently though, researchers have challenged that view. 

In November 2024, American biologists Peter A Noble and Alex Pozhitkov published groundbreaking findings in The Conversation under the title “Biobots arise from the cells of dead organisms − pushing the boundaries of life, death and medicine.” They showed that, under certain conditions, dead cells can not only survive but also reorganise and form new multicellular structures. And that discovery suggests the existence of an intermediate state where biological organisms are neither fully alive nor completely dead. Scientists are now referring to this as the "third state."

Doesn’t death occur when the brain stops functioning? How would that even be possible if the person is deceased? What are the implications of the third state? In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

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