# Decapitated heads & consciousness

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitated-heads-consciousness/229530>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [February 16, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitated-heads-consciousness/229530 "2004-02-16T19:56:59Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![fubbleskag](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fubbleskag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubbleskag)\
**Post date:** [February 16, 2004, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitated-heads-consciousness/229530/1 "2004-02-16T19:56:59Z")

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While reading [this classis](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_221a.html) it occurred to me that I had heard about Antoine Lavoisier reportedly having his assistant count the number of times he blinked after his beheading.

I found one reference [here](http://www.aarrgghh.com/no_way/beheading.htm)

> [@](#):
>
> Antoine Lavoisier, the French chemist who lived between 1743 and 1794, was caught up in the revolution and faced beheading. He asked friends to observe closely as he would continue blinking as long as possible after being killed. He was reported to have blinked for 15 seconds after decapitation.

is there any truth behind this?

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**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\
**Post date:** [February 17, 2004, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/decapitated-heads-consciousness/229530/2 "2004-02-17T03:35:22Z")

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[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=197507&highlight=lavoisie](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=197507&highlight=lavoisie)

[http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5\_262.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a5_262.html)

Lavoisier story not true.