Scientists have long assumed that what makes us “us” is our brains, a three and a third pound mass of 86 billion neurons with the consistency of soft fat, so delicate that it floats in a sea of cerebrospinal fluid to protect it from touching the skull. This idea has been challenged for centuries by reports of near-death experiences, first described by Dr. Pierre-Jean du Monchaux in the 1760s. Five to ten percent of our population has died yet reported seeing and hearing events which would be impossible for the clinically dead. The medical community is researching the incidents. Come and judge for yourself. There will be a pre-class email about death and life for reflection and consideration.