Episode 91 - 21 Grams the Soul's Weight

Breaking Bad Science

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Will Smith was in a movie about it. The Thundamentals and several others have written songs about it, but what is the “Hypothesis concerning soul substance together with experimental evidence of the existence of such substance?” More importantly, why does it make some people believe in the importance of the specific value, 21 grams? Join hosts Shanti and Danny as we discuss the paper that led to the infamous belief that the soul weighs 21 grams.

References

1. MacDougall, D.; Hypothesis Concerning Soul Substance Together with Experimental Evidence of the Existence of Such Substance. American Society of Psychical Research. 1901. 1:5 (237 - 275). https://diogenesii.files.wordpress.com/2014/04/duncan_macdougall_1907_-_21pp.pdf
2. Hollander, L.; Unexplained Weight Gain Transients at the Moment of Death. Journal of Scientific Exploration. 2001. 15:4 (495 - 500). https://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.567.4701&rep=rep1&type=pdf

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