time

What happens when we die?

Originally asked

The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A

A recurring late-stage question in The Guardian Q&A, with materially different answers on publisher-hosted pages.

You answer as yourself. Nobody on FLAPSS answers as anybody else.

One of 24 questions in The Q&A here.

Add your answer

On the record

Public figures who have answered a question like this elsewhere. Quoted from the source shown, not written for FLAPSS.

Read by field Everyone Arts and letters 41 Politics and public life 2 Business and finance 1
Read by age Any age In their thirties 9 In their forties 5 In their fifties 10 In their sixties 10 Seventy and beyond 10
Sam Ryder
I have lots of beliefs about that, but that will have to wait for another interview.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 26 August 2023 source ↗

Neil Gaiman Author of fiction, comics and screenplays
I like the idea of being atoms that other people can breathe in, and fabulous worm food.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 21 October 2023 source ↗

Katie Melua
I am so curious. We had my son christened because there may be a god but, equally, my partner is a science teacher, so I am also completely open to the possibility that nothing happens.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 November 2023 source ↗

Monica Dolan
Our friends are sad and miss us for a bit but, hopefully, they find other people at the party.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 6 January 2024 source ↗

Michelle Collins
I like to think that my friends, my auntie and my mum are up there having a big party and that I could join them.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 27 April 2024 source ↗

Kelly Hoppen
I don’t know and I don’t really care, because I’ll be dead, so it won’t really matter.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 28 September 2024 source ↗

Andrea Bocelli
Earthly life is merely the infancy of our soul. What comes after physical death is, I imagine, like returning home.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 2 November 2024 source ↗

Nick Frost
When my kids ask, “What happens when we die?” I say, “Do you remember the place you were in before you were born? I think we go back there.”

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 11 January 2025 source ↗

Justin Hawkins
Massive DMT release, your perception of time dilates, you realise you can fly, then it all goes black, and you start again, only this time … you’re a slug.

Recorded The Q&A, The Guardian, 1 March 2025 source ↗

0 answers from members

Nobody has answered this one yet.