Scientists in Virginia asked 21 people to see a hidden image without leaving their rooms—nobody got it right, but two described a scene they couldn’t see

For centuries, people have described experiences in which they seem to float outside their bodies, look down at themselves or observe places they could not physically reach. These accounts are often linked to spirituality, near-death experiences and other unusual states of consciousness.

But can a person actually perceive something beyond the reach of their eyes and ears?