Can consciousness leave the body? People described exactly what happened in a closed room

An experiment in Brazil tested out-of-body experiences: 21 participants were asked to identify an object in a closed room. The main task failed, but in subsequent interviews, two participants accurately described the location and actions of the researchers in the closed room, a description confirmed by experiment records. Researchers from the University of Virginia emphasize that this is not proof of the phenomenon, but the findings raise new research directions.

A new experiment conducted in Brazil tested people's ability to have an out-of-body experience and perceive information from a remote location. 21 participants were asked to try to identify a random object displayed on a computer screen in another closed room. Ten reported a sensation of leaving their body, but the main task failed completely: no participant correctly identified the object, and descriptions were no more accurate than guessing. However, in interviews conducted after the experiment, an unexpected finding emerged. Two participants spontaneously described the people in the other room—exactly where they were sitting and what they were doing at that moment. One described a researcher sitting on the left looking at a screen, while another person was behind reading a book. Another participant described a researcher sitting on the right taking notes, while another researcher sat to the left by the computer. The research team from the University of Virginia, led by Dr. Marina Weiler, reviewed the experiment records and confirmed that both descriptions matched the room layout and activity at that time. The researchers argue that participants had no way to see the researchers through the closed doors. The researchers emphasize that this should not be seen as proof of an out-of-body experience, as the descriptions were not part of the pre-defined task. However, the findings raise the possibility that the conventional goals in such studies—object identification—are not what people experiencing such phenomena tend to notice. They may instead notice people, their locations, and actions. The researchers suggest that future experiments focus on more salient details, such as a researcher wearing a colorful and unusual clothing item, to test if the phenomenon can be replicated under controlled conditions.