Experts have discovered, after a person dies, there are certain genes that actually kick into life and fight to bring the person back from death.
New research suggests that gene expression – when information in DNA is used for instructions to create molecules such as proteins – increases in certain genes as they attempt to essentially resuscitate the host.
The study monitored zebrafish and mice, but the experts believe that this phenomena occurs in humans too.
Senior author Peter Noble of the University of Washington and Alabama State University told Seeker: "Not all cells are 'dead' when an organism dies.
GETTY
Life after death does occur, scientists confirm
GETTY
Life after death continues in genes
"Different cell types have different life spans, generation times and resilience to extreme stress.
"It is likely that some cells remain alive and are attempting to repair themselves, specifically stem cells.”
The team found that gene transcription – which is the initial stage of gene expression and is linked to stress and cancer – can occur up to days after the death.
GETTY
Scientists conducted the research on zebrafish
The research, published in the journal Open Biology, found that gene transcription linked to embryonic development increases.
Embryonic development is a characteristic of very early human development, meaning that parts of the body are reverting to the very basics as it attempts to bring the person back to life.
The implications of the study are insightful for scientists as it will allow them to better study organs for transplant.
GETTY
Death might not be the end afterall
Mr Noble continued: "It might be useful to prescreen transplant organs for increased cancer gene transcripts.”
He also added that it will allow scientists to better understand the process of death.
The University of Washington professor added: "Like the twin towers on 9/11, we can get a lot of information on how a system collapses by studying the sequence of events as they unfold through time.
"In the case of the twin towers, we saw a systematic collapse of one floor at a time that affected the floors underneath it.
“This gives us an idea of the structural foundations supporting the building and we see a similar pattern in the shutdown of animals."
Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Tumblr
RSS