How long can you live after decapitation ?

I always wondered about this and you know what. I don't think I want to know the answer. It gives me the heebies just thinking about it. Brrrrrr !!!

I think it's just the body reacting from the incident. I have a hard time believing the brain can still be active (albeit briefly) on its own without the body.

I know that depending on the person you can stay awake for up to 10-15 seconds after cardiac arrest before the lack of oxygen to your brain puts you *completely* under - you aren't exactly at full speed for much of that time, but thoughts are still happening. I wouldn't doubt that it'd be shorter for decapitation due to the sudden loss of most of the blood from the neck vessels, but there still has to be a period of a few seconds where everything is still working. Potentially more disturbing is how reptiles, due to their massively low metabolic rates and seeming ability for their brains to wor... [More]

Years ago, I watched as a soldier was decapitated by a helicopter rotor. Clean cut at the neck. His body kept walking for several more feet. I saw his eyes widen briefly as if in disbelief. Then they closed. I would hope he wasn't aware of what had happened, but i've always wondered. same things happen to chicken. the body of the chicken still continue walking while eyes open an close. you can even see the slow movement of the mouth. I believe the chicken head still alive and brain still working from the clear color of the eyes. after few minutes the eyes change to blur

Ah well...it wasn't something i thought id learn about when i got out of bed this morning....hey ho....

OK gang, it's real simple. Reach up, completely occlude both your carotid arteries and see how long you remain aware. Twitching muscles and somatic reflexes don't count. Just see how long before you go "out". I'll tell ya.........10 - 14 seconds and that's as the darkness descends. And during that time you are not thinking about a lot of things, particularly where your head is at. Maybe...Oh, SH.................. I've watched hundreds of hearts stop beating and that's not even decapitation with instant blood flow loss. I take no responsibility for anyone dumb enough to do this experiment.

It is most certainly possible and, in fact, required, as NOTHING has been shown to happen instaneously. I would be inclined to argue the time-frame, but not the event itself.

It would be almost impossible to prove since headless men tell no tells. And I don't think you would volunteers to try and see if it works.

I think we already kind of know, 10 seconds or so, give or take. Probably depends on the age, physical fitness of the victim, height to some extent (some people probably have longer vessels?). The french guy's expirement already showed what the deal was. I think its kind of messed up that they're doing this to lab animals just to find out how long. Actually it's pretty sick to begin with.

I think its kind of messed up that they're doing this to lab animals just to find out how long. Actually it's pretty sick to begin with. I agree. But I suppose the thrust, in part, is to help determine more humane executions. Though that rather seems an oxymoron...