Just as death and taxes are certainties, so too are the inquiries: Is there such a thing as a human soul? And, if yes, what occurs when the physical body expires? No matter your stance on the afterlife, these questions cross everyone's mind at some point.
Duncan MacDougall’s Study: An Attempt to Measure the Soul
In the early 1900s, Massachusetts physician Duncan MacDougall set out to resolve the first question through a pioneering metaphysical investigation. Using six bodies of individuals who had died from tuberculosis, he aimed to literally weigh the soul. Upon completing this small yet measurable trial, MacDougall determined that the human soul weighs roughly ¾ of an ounce (21 grams).[1]
At first glance, MacDougall’s results seem remarkable—especially for his era. They imply not only that a soul exists but also that it possesses a degree of tangibility. However, skeptics have highlighted shortcomings, including:[2]
- MacDougall’s published report omitted cases where no weight loss occurred
- Any detected weight change could be explained by ordinary physiological processes (e.g., evaporation)
Other Investigations Into the Soul’s Destination After Death
From philosophers to neuroscientists and everyone in between, countless theories have been put forward. Some “confirm” the soul’s existence while others “deny” it.
Anesthesiologist Dr. Stuart Hameroff (University of Arizona) and British physicist Sir Roger Penrose proposed a consciousness theory called Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR). In simple terms, their Orch-OR theory suggests that within your neurons, brain neuron microtubules can potentially store memories—quantum information—at a subatomic level.[4, 5]
Specialists Argue Consciousness Does Not Perish, Only the Body Does
When discussing any topic, especially matters of the soul and existence, definitions are crucial. For the purpose of explaining Hameroff and Penrose’s theory, we assume that human consciousness and the human soul may be identical.
According to Penrose, if someone dies temporarily, all those memories held by microtubules in the brain are released into the universe. Yet, as reported by Express, “if [a person is] resuscitated, the quantum information is channeled back into the microtubules and that is what sparks a near-death experience.”
In the documentary “Through the Wormhole,” Hameroff further explains this in more relatable human terms.[6]
In other words, upon death, your consciousness or soul may return to the universe and therefore not truly die! At the very least, the two scientists’ theory of consciousness is fascinating to consider. For anyone who believes we are more than a random collection of atoms, this is one of many theories that offers a glimmer of hope. However, one critical point remains…
Theories are not facts. Arguably, the soul (whatever its true definition) seems beyond complete scientific proof or disproof. Even for the logical and scientific mind, the human soul retains a mystery that demands a degree of faith. In any case, it is a question we all seek to answer, and the journey to find it is a worthwhile pursuit.
