Phooey. I had counted on that tunnel to get me outahere. Just kidding. When I first heard about it, a biological explanation crossed my mind. But the grannie with the cookie....would that really make you solve your immediate problem, or go peacefully? Could the tunnel also not be more of a "euphoria that it's over" reaction? Most people who say they saw their body lying below felt a great warm pull the OTHER way, and had to struggle to go back down. They did usually based on remembering they had children to raise, etc. So let's review. There's a "phenomenon" - even if highly individualized - that isn't easy to explain based on genetic benefit to the race (other than producing some happy dying people who might be easier for relatives to start grieving over, hence less stress on them, longer lives for them, more babies raised successfully and gene passed on.) But if that parathesis specualtion isn't enough of a benefit, we have what seems to be a hard-wired and not always survival-assisting brain function which mainly benefits the subjective experience of the dying individual. Could THAT in itself (even if the tunnel doesn't go anywhere and an afterlife is quite different) suggest a gift from a benevolent creator, who wants to send a comfort, and even allow some returning folks to report the event and inspire faith in others?