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Beheading
ScienceBoi
Okay. What I am going to be discussing here is the concept of coherence. When your brain loses coherence, you are dead in any relevant way in that you can neither perceive stimuli (internal or external) nor act in a rational manner. When this happens, YOU are dead, even if your body is not. That being said, let me get into the messy details.
The brain needs oxygen. Period. How long does it take to die? Well, think of how long you can hold your breath. It is widely accepted that around 3 or 4 minutes is the common maximum, though this can be extended by hyperventilating beforehand. If your head is severed from your body and you do not fall unconscious from a) the extreme shock or b) the catastrophic loss of blood pressure, then you have to wait until your brain asphyxiates with its lack of oxygen.
When this occurs, you are essentially holding your breath until you die. Comforting, isn't it? Yeah, I didn't think so.
If it makes you feel better, your brain becomes rather incoherent as the oxygen content dissipates, so while you might technically be alive for five minutes after you are beheaded, you would likely only be truly rational for two or three. Small consolation, I know, but it's still something.
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