Archive · 11 Sep 2026
Out-of-Body Trial Finds Chance Results, Raises New Questions
Scientists tested whether people having out-of-body experiences could identify something in another room.
The study involved 21 people in Brazil.
Participants looked for a random object displayed on a laptop, but their descriptions were no better than guesses.
Ten people said they had an out-of-body experience.
During later interviews, two people described researchers in a different closed room.
Those descriptions reportedly matched where the researchers were and what they were doing.
This was not part of the planned test, so the scientists do not consider it proof of seeing faraway places.
They want future studies to test whether memorable objects or hidden details are easier to describe.
The researchers published their findings in the peer-reviewed journal Explore.
University of Virginia researchers tested 21 participants in Brazil for possible perception of a distant room.
Participants were asked to identify a randomly displayed object on a laptop in another room.
Ten participants reported an out-of-body experience, while 13 described the target without performing better than chance.
Two participants independently described researchers’ positions and activities in a separate closed room, and the descriptions reportedly matched.
Researchers said the observations were unexpected and require prospective, rigorous testing before supporting any conclusions.
- Who
- Researchers from the University of Virginia School of Medicine and 21 participants, including 10 who reported out-of-body experiences.
- What
- A trial tested whether participants could identify an object or describe activity in another room without seeing it.
- When
- The articles do not specify when the trial took place.
- Where
- The trial was conducted in Brazil, with participants asked about a separate room.
- Why
- Researchers wanted to investigate whether reported out-of-body experiences might provide information about distant locations.
Cautious Scientific Interpretation
Potential Future Research Direction
Meaning of the two room descriptions
Cautious Scientific Interpretation
Because the descriptions were unexpected and were not planned outcome measures, they cannot be treated as evidence that out-of-body experiences enable distant perception.
Potential Future Research Direction
The matching descriptions may provide a specific idea that researchers can test prospectively in carefully controlled experiments.
Choice of experimental targets
Cautious Scientific Interpretation
The planned laptop-object task produced results no better than chance, offering no demonstrated ability to identify the target remotely.
Potential Future Research Direction
Researchers suggest distinctive, memorable or emotionally engaging objects and details might be easier for participants to visualize and should be tested.
- Participants
- 21 people took part in the trial.
- Reported experiences
- 10 participants said they experienced an out-of-body experience.
- Target descriptions
- 13 participants provided descriptions of the target object.
- Main result
- Target descriptions were no more accurate than chance.
- Unexpected observation
- Two participants described researchers in another room, with descriptions reportedly matching the room’s activity.
- Publication
- The findings appeared in the peer-reviewed journal Explore.
- Proposed next step
- Future experiments could use distinctive clothing, memorable objects or other hidden details as targets.