October 21, 2006: Death and the Hereafter - Dr. Janis Amatuzio
Podcast: The Art Bell ArchivePublished On: Thu Jan 29 2026
Description: Art Bell speaks with forensic pathologist Dr. Janis Amatuzio, known as the compassionate coroner, about what families of the deceased have taught her regarding consciousness after death. Broadcasting from Manila, Art opens with a retraction from a Philippine newspaper that had published a hoax hate letter attributed to him, then moves into a conversation about forensic science, CSI television myths, and the mystery of what happens when we die.Dr. Amatuzio, a board-certified pathologist who serves as coroner for multiple counties in Minnesota and Wisconsin, shares stories collected over decades of death investigation. She recounts the experience of a cardiac arrest survivor who was clinically gone for eight and a half minutes and returned describing a realm beyond religious frameworks. Her most striking account involves a transplant recipient who, while still under anesthesia, correctly identified his organ donor by name and physical appearance despite having no possible way to obtain that information.The conversation also explores how forensic pathology intersects with questions about the afterlife, the realities behind CSI-style forensics, and what bones can reveal about circumstances of death. Art and Dr. Amatuzio discuss whether the placebo effect and near-death experiences point toward a deeper understanding of human consciousness.
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