Major UK Newspaper Interviews Dr Leo Ruickbie About His Bigelow Contest Win

With the headline ‘It’s the real million-dollar question: Is there life after death?‘, the Daily Express devoted a double-page spread to my contest-winning essay on life after death. Journalist Jane Warren chose to feature my favourite case from my essay ‘The Ghost in the Time Machine’: the story of Eldred Bowyer-Bower.

A Royal Flying Corps pilot in the First World War, Captain Bowyer-Bower was shot down and killed over France, sparking a chain of paranormal experiences that convinced his family that his spirit lived on.

Luckily, the article reveals that I worked with more than case studies in my research, quoting me as saying: ‘As a social scientist, it is my job to draw upon statistical analyses that show consistent patterns in reported human experience.’

There is also brief mention of the alternative model of mind-brain that posits the brain as the receiver of mind (consciousness), rather than its creator, which was a major part of my essay, and, unfortunately, there was not enough space to cover the evidence from neuroscience to support this.

Also finding itself on the cutting room floor was my discussion of why the ‘ghost’ is in a ‘time machine’ as opposed to anything else. For that you will have to read the essay, or better yet, wait for the book to come out…

Jane Warren was a real delight to work with and did an amazing job in summarising the contest and the contents of a 25,000-word essay. And it was especially touching to see a picture of my parents in the paper, too, as they have been so much a part of this story and the reason I have been able to do what I do.

By focusing on the personal and emotional, the article is sure to connect more deeply with readers. I wonder how many will find it changes their mind about life after death.