Can the head survive without the body?

[Timmy35]

If someones head was chopped off cleany, whilst they were unconcious and nice and cold, and the main arteries and veins connected upto a blood supply, re-oxygenated, cleaned and supplied by a dialysis type machine, with the other holes cautorised to stop blood going all over the place, is there any reason why the head shouldn't continue living when it woke back up?

I read a while back that the Japanese had sucessfully swapped the heads on two dogs. So I was just wondering.

ETA. I'm not a wierdo, just curious.

[grumbledoak]

Yes. There isn't any magic involved. If you could replace the oxygen and nutrient supply you could keep someone's head in a jar for probably longer than their natural life.


(You're not going through a messy divorce, are you? I have disclaimers...)

[mcbook]

There are stories that this procedure was successfully trialed in Nazi Germany in the early 40s.

In principle, it seems possible but morality is the main issue.

[dmitsi]

I've seen Futurama, it can be done.

[Justayellowbadge]

It's pronounced "Hfuhruhurr".

[omgus]

Step very slowly away from the dog now Timmy, and put the knife down.

Heads have been recorded as moving lips and blinking eyes/focusing on people up to 15 seconds after decapitiation, so if you could mee the needs for the organ to keep functioning then i think yes but that does not allow you to go and try it.

[KrazyIvan]

dmitsi said:

I've seen Futurama, it can be done.

That was the 1st thing I thought of

[Timmy35]

mcbook said:

There are stories that this procedure was successfully trialed in Nazi Germany in the early 40s.

In principle, it seems possible but morality is the main issue.

I can't see the moral issue, if they gave permission.

[WorAl]

grumbledoak said:

Yes. There isn't any magic involved. If you could replace the oxygen and nutrient supply you could keep someone's head in a jar for probably longer than their natural life.


(You're not going through a messy divorce, are you? I have disclaimers...)

Is there any reason the brain would die if you kept the blood fresh and the nutrients/oxygen at an optimal level.

[BliarOut]

Step away from the axe...

[sleep envy]

BliarOut said:

Step away from the axe...

is that an inner dialogue or advice?

[The Hitman]

Well they would need some sort of reperation unit to act like lung do to allow them to speak unless you want them to turn senile as being unable to comunicate.

[omgus]

The Hitman said:

Well they would need some sort of reperation unit to act like lung do to allow them to speak unless you want them to turn senile as being unable to comunicate.

When someone called The Hitman talks about severed heads it does add a certain weight to their words.

[ali_kat]

Timmy35 said:

I'm not a wierdo

you are

[Justayellowbadge]

The lounge is evidence that many bodies are able to function and type with no discernible evidence of a head being attached.

[grumbledoak]

WorAl said:

Is there any reason the brain would die if you kept the blood fresh and the nutrients/oxygen at an optimal level.

If you prevent the usual causes of death (heart or liver failure in the end) I'd imagine the head would go senile.

It'd be something like Kryten's spare head collection in Red Dwarf.

[Timmy35]

BliarOut said:

Step away from the axe...

• / rubs forehead involuntarily. I still get headaches.

Anyway this is decapitation I'm thinking about, as opposed to vertically seperating the left and right hemishpheres with blunt trauma.

Imagine the possibilities, if you can do that, you can have heads controlling machines, piloting space ships etc. Why bother sending the entire body into space if you can send just the head.

also usually it's the body that fails, not the brain, so longeivty would be much greater, very much greater, useful for long term space travel.

[The Hitman]

omgus said:

The Hitman said:

Well they would need some sort of reperation unit to act like lung do to allow them to speak unless you want them to turn senile as being unable to comunicate.

When someone called The Hitman talks about severed heads it does add a certain weight to their words.

You have to pay extra for this service obviously

[sleep envy]

Timmy35 said:

Imagine the possibilities, if you can do that, you can have heads controlling machines, piloting space ships etc. Why bother sending the entire body into space if you can send just the head.

where would you keep it, in a jar?

[Plotloss]

Urrrmelmehay