A small chocolate bar. A tablespoon of honey. A hummingbird. Those are a few different things that weigh around 21g. And you can add the human soul to that list, according to the 21 grams experiment from the early 20th century. That’s right; while there’s no scientific evidence that the soul even exists, a theory emerged not only suggesting that it does, but also putting its weight at the figure of 21g.

The 21g figure comes from research by British doctor Duncan MacDougall. His observations led him to believe that at the moment a person dies, they lose exactly 21 grams in weight. And he was also convinced that if the soul exists, it must have a weight, just like any other physical matter.

How did a theory like that come about? How well was the experiment received?

In under 3 minutes, we answer your questions!

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A podcast written and realised by Joseph Chance.

First broadcast 6/04/2024

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