While it is true that energy cannot be destroyed, the precise definitions of life and death can be somewhat confusing for those without a background in physics. Medically speaking, we can determine when a living organism is declared dead, such as when the heart stops beating or there is brain death.

However, the concept of true death goes beyond these conditions. True death occurs when there is no possibility of being resurrected or brought back to life. Even in cases where someone has been declared dead from cerebral or brain death or cardiac arrest, they can be revived through emergency life-saving procedures such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation.

The cells in living organisms rely on oxygen and glucose to produce Adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is considered the energy currency of life by biologists. The Second Law of Thermodynamics tells us that any spontaneous process, including complex cellular processes, results in an increase in entropy or disorder. Our bodies follow this universal law of entropy, and if the increase in entropy is not constantly checked, the result is death.

While emergency procedures can temporarily halt the process of death, if the cells have already succumbed to entropy, it is impossible to bring someone back to life. However, some scientists believe that if the cells can survive entropy, they may be able to exceed the point of no return.

Advertisement