FEATURED STORY
RECENT STORIES
STORIES BY TOPIC
NEWS
TRANSPORTER
Take me to a...
SEARCH
Enter any portion of the author name or story title:
For more options, try our:
SUBSCRIBE
Sign up for free daily sci-fi!
your email will be kept private
TIDBITS
Get a copy of Not Just Rockets and Robots: Daily Science Fiction Year One. 260 adventures into new worlds, fantastical and science fictional. Rocket Dragons Ignite: the anthology for year two, is also available!
SUBMIT
Publish your stories or art on Daily Science Fiction:
If you've already submitted a story, you may check its:
DAILY SCI-FI
Not just rockets & robots...
"Science Fiction" means—to us—everything found in the science fiction section of a bookstore, or at a science fiction convention, or amongst the winners of the Hugo awards given by the World Science Fiction Society. This includes the genres of science fiction (or sci-fi), fantasy, slipstream, alternative history, and even stories with lighter speculative elements. We hope you enjoy the broad range that SF has to offer.






43 Responses to "In Memory of Dr. Alexandra Nako"

Barbara A. Barnett is a writer, musician, librarian, Odyssey Writing Workshop alum, coffee addict, wine lover, bad movie mocker, and all-around geek. In addition to Daily Science Fiction, her short stories have appeared in publications such as Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Intergalactic Medicine Show, Flash Fiction Online, Fantasy Magazine, and Shimmer. Barbara lurks about the Philadelphia area and has been known to frequently burst into song. You can find her online at www.babarnett.com.

puppyhugs42
2-04-2016 12:03pm
Thanks so much for this post, Dr. Bates. Such a fitting tribute to a true pioneer in the field of near-death experience (NDE) research. Controversy over methodology be damned; you and Dr. Nako have done groundbreaking work. I know you're still crunching the data, but I truly believe your research will prove once and for all what those of us who've had NDEs know in our guts to be true: activity continues after the brain dies and the EEG goes flat.
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 12:11pm
Agreed. I'm so sick of these narrow-minded skeptics acting like they know everything. There's something beyond death. Science backs it up. Dr. Nako is a martyr.
AlexandraNako
2-04-2016 12:16pm
You need to stop the research, Kevin. We were so wrong. Thear'eja;eaa;ed
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 12:21pm
@AlexandraNako: Insensitive username much? What a douche.
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-04-2016 12:32pm
@puppyhugs42: Thanks for the kind words. I hope I can do justice to Dr. Nako's contributions as I carry on our work. The American NDE Journal has shown interest in publishing our recent findings as part of a special tribute issue to her.
@Chekhov's Jellyfish: No insults please. I don't want another caveshark30 incident.
@AlexandraNako: Not funny, and not welcome on my blog. I lost a dear colleague this week and don't appreciate her passing being mocked.
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 12:37pm
I miss caveshark30 and his crazy-fu. Always good for a laugh. Its been far too long since we've had an illiterate troll here blaming the president for everything.
SchlumpySpacePrincess
2-04-2016 12:39pm
@Chekhov's Jellyfish: *it's
AlexandraNako
2-04-2016 12:40pm
It's me, Kevin, I swear it. Ask me anything and I'll prove it. My favorite color, the last thing I ordered for lunch, whatever will convince you. But you have to listen to me and stop the research. If anyone else tries to replicate what we did they're going to unleash esfnaeaehxx
puppyhugs42
2-04-2016 12:50pm
I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, Dr. Bates. I'm not surprised by the onslaught of negative comments you've gotten from the skeptics on other posts, but making fun of someone's death is so utterly heartless.
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-04-2016 12:56pm
@puppyhugs42: Thank you.
@AlexandraNako: Fine, I'll play along with your twisted little joke: why should I stop? And if you're really Alexandra, you should be able to tell me what's in the middle drawer on the left side of her desk.
AlexandraNako
2-04-2016 12:58pm
All the drawers are on the right. The middle one has my journal (the one with the daisies on the cover), a bottle of hand lotion, a pack of tissues, and a nail file. The last thing I wrote in the journal was my new password for the NDE Association discussion forum: LfrgH8M*. And you never call me Alexandra.
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-04-2016 1:04pm
Thanks, that narrows your identity down to people with access to Alex's desk. And you haven't answered my other question: why should I stop the research?
AlexandraNako
2-04-2016 1:05pm
It'aifjeawj;we
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 1:07pm
Nice typing, jerk.
AlexandraNako
2-04-2016 1:08pm
It won't let me tell you, Kevin. Every time I try to describe it, it's like I'm suffocating, like something heavy is forcing itself through every fiber of my being, trying to rip me apart. There's something beyond death, but it's not what we thought. There's no white light, no tunnel, no sense of peace. I know you wanted to believe that. I know you wanted to believe Lily is safe.
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-04-2016 1:12pm
AlexandraNako has been banned from making further comments on this blog. Based on the IP address, it sadly appears that someone at my own university is responsible for this nonsense. They will be found and held accountable. In the meantime, the best I can do is move on and continue the good work Dr. Nako and I started.
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 1:15pm
Troll-lol-lol-lol-lol!
lesley
2-04-2016 1:18pm
Um, guys? What if it's not a joke? All of us Near Death Experiencers know there's life after death, right? We've been there. Literally. So think about all of that equipment Dr. Nako was hooked up to when she died. What if she and Dr. Bates found a way to tap into the afterworld? Created a bridge or something. Maybe it's really her.
Maybe we should listen.
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 1:22pm
@lesley: People like you need to learn how science works. Your why no one takes NDE research seriously.
SchlumpySpacePrincess
2-04-2016 1:25pm
@Chekhov's Jellyfish: *You're
puppyhugs42
2-04-2016 1:26pm
@lesley: As much as I hate to say it, I agree with Chekhov's Jellyfish on this one. I know a lot people use NDEs to try and prove the existence of ghosts and other paranormal activity, but I personally haven't seen any compelling evidence supporting that.
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 1:28pm
@SchlumpySpacePrincess: Do you ever post anything but grammer corrections? Find something useful to say or GTFO.
SchlumpySpacePrincess
2-04-2016 1:32pm
*grammar
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 1:35pm
Bite me, nazi.
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-04-2016 1:42pm
Seriously, folks, be civil or the fake AlexandraNako won't be the only one banned.
LisaG
2-04-2016 2:39pm
Yikes, now I'm nervous about posting. I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Nako after a talk she gave at my university a few years ago. She was a lovely person. But you have to admit that the ethics involved in this study are highly questionable. I know she was suffering. She likely didn't have much time left because of the cancer. But was the data gained really worth taking her own life? How much more could she have accomplished in the time she had left?
puppyhugs42
2-04-2016 3:12pm
@LisaG: Apparently Dr. Nako thought it was worth it. Terminally ill persons should have the right to die how they choose. I applaud Dr. Nako's bravery in making that decision in a way that furthers scientific discovery.
Dr_Alexandra_Nako
2-04-2016 3:16pm
You're not going to find what you're looking for, Kevin. There isn't going to be some white-lighted reunion with Lily and everyone else you ever loved. You're going to open a door that you can't shut. I got through, just barely. You don't want to know what I left behind me. It's going to get through, too, if you don't stop.
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-04-2016 3:20pm
She's back! So how exactly does a dead person even post here? Are there computers in the afterlife? FOLKS, WE'VE GOT A REAL LIVE NDE EXPERIENCE IN ACTION HERE!
SchlumpySpacePrincess
2-04-2016 3:24pm
@Chekhov's Jellyfish: "NDE experience" is redundant
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-04-2016 3:35pm
@Dr_Alexandra_Nako: I don't know who you are or why you're doing this, but it needs to stop. If you have a problem with my research, fine. LisaG expressed her thoughts on that matter quite civilly. But bringing up my daughter like that? It's sick.
Dr_Alexandra_Nako
2-04-2016 3:37pm
When she died you came into the lab, drunk. Angry. You stumbled and knocked over one of the portable workstations. The equipment was in pieces. I covered for you, said my sweater caught on the cart and pulled it over as I walked past. Who else but me knows that?
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-04-2016 3:40pm
Dr_Alexandra_Nako has been banned and all posts associated with that username have been deleted.
alex
2-04-2016 4:53pm
I didn't want it to come to this, Kevin, but I will stop you myself if I have to. More people will die if this thing gets out.
puppyhugs42
2-04-2016 5:00pm
You should contact the authorities, Dr. Bates. This has gotten into harassment territory.
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-04-2016 6:16pm
@puppyhugs42: Thank you for your concern.
@alex: I've figured out which terminal you're posting from. Security is on the way, and so am I.
alex
2-04-2016 6:17pm
Please don't make me do this.
alex
2-04-2016 6:25pm
I'm so sorry, Kevin.
Mr Mutassim Surugaba
2-05-2016 3:52am
Earn money working from home http://goo.gl/UH2qRb.
DesignerSunglasses
2-05-2016 7:03am
Biggest Selection! Bigger Savings!
All sunglasses Only 23.90USD
Hottest Styles. 5600+ New Styles.
Click here
Chekhov's Jellyfish
2-05-2016 9:24am
Spam clean up in aisle 4!
puppyhugs42
2-05-2016 10:38am
I'm worried, Dr. Bates is usually more on top of deleting that stuff. Please post soon and let us know you're ok, Dr. B!
Dr. Kevin Bates
2-05-2016 12:16pm
http://www.NDEassociation.org/news/05feb16/NDE-pioneer-kevin-bates-found-dead-in-apparent-homicide.html
Comments on this post are now closed.
The End
This story was first published on Friday, February 5th, 2016


Author Comments

The toughest part of this piece was finding a balance between the comments that tell the story and the other silly bits that you find in internet comments sections everywhere--the grammar corrections, the trolling, the spam posts, the inevitable Nazi reference. It helped when I realized that the blog format was essentially my setting. Once I looked at things that way, it was easier to find the right details that could make that setting seem real in a way that helped advance character and plot, and that hopefully added some touches of humor as well.

- Barbara A. Barnett
Become a Member!

We hope you're enjoying 43 Responses to "In Memory of Dr. Alexandra Nako" by Barbara A. Barnett.

Please support Daily Science Fiction by becoming a member.

Daily Science Fiction is not accepting memberships or donations at this time.

Rate This Story
Please click to rate this story from 1 (ho-hum) to 7 (excellent!):

Please don't read too much into these ratings. For many reasons, a superior story may not get a superior score.

5.9 Rocket Dragons Average
Share This Story
Join Mailing list
Please join our mailing list and receive free daily sci-fi (your email address will be kept 100% private):