Caroline Watt – Investigating the Impossible: Is there Life After Death?

How did researchers estimate that the soul weighed 21 grammes? What happens when we have a near-death experience? Do ghostly photographs give a sneak preview of the afterlife? For over a century, a small but intrepid band of researchers have sought to apply scientific methods in examining the so-called survival hypothesis. Step into the light, and join Professor Caroline Watt to discover what science has to say about life after death.

A founder member of Edinburgh University’s Koestler Parapsychology Unit, Caroline obtained her parapsychology PhD in 1993, and in 2006 became Senior Lecturer in Psychology. Caroline leads the KPU’s public engagement activities, including website, social media, and online course. In 2015 she marked the KPU’s 30th Anniversary by creating, with psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman, the workshop Unbelievable: Science Explores the Paranormal. Unbelievable toured science festivals from Brighton to Orkney, culminating in 8 days of full houses at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2016, she published the book Parapsychology: A Beginner’s Guide. Caroline’s main research interests are in replication and methodological issues in parapsychology. As part of this work she runs a Registry for parapsychological studies.

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