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by Mrs.Dufresne on April 27th, 2007

Mrs.Dufresne

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Why do people lose 21 grams of weight after death?

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  • by MvL on August 18th, 2007

    MvL

    It was Dr. Duncan MacDougall of Haverhill, Massachusetts who attempted to weigh the human soul. In 1907, he placed 6 dying patients on a homemade scale, which also acted as a bed for the patients. He then recorded their weights before and after death. According to Dr. MacDougall, there was a difference of 21 grams between the heavier, living patients and their dead bodies.

    He also experimented on 15 dogs and found no loss of weight between the living dogs and their dead bodies. He believed this was because animals do not have souls.

    His experiments were criticized since of the six patients, two tests had to be discarded and the level of error was very high. Obviously, it was not a very scientific study.

    In addition, no one has ever been able to repeat the result of these experiments. Basically, there is still no physiological evidence of the soul. It's an urban legend propagated by a guy who did bad science - looking for an answer he already believed was true. Real science doesn't have attachments to pre-existing beliefs and values. It just observes and hypothesizes.

    Comments

    • Yeah thats for sure. first logical answer thank you.

      .....-----

      by .....----- on August 18th, 2007

    • Thanks. Yeah, I read... I don't know why this urban legend gets around so much. I've heard it from tons of people, all touting it like some sort of victory. Weird.

      MvL

      by MvL on August 18th, 2007

    • Yeah. the movie about the legend is great have you seen it?

      .....-----

      by .....----- on August 18th, 2007

    • Yeah, it's pretty good - I gotta give it that!

      MvL

      by MvL on August 18th, 2007

    • Yeah i love that movie is so meaningful it makes you think. Have you notice that the most stupid urban legends are the ones that last the most?.

      .....-----

      by .....----- on August 18th, 2007

    • I think that says something about human nature. It's the things that are visible, right under our noses, or at least credible if false that we choose to violently disbelieve, but the invisible, stupid, and hard to believe are accepted as long lost friends...

      MvL

      by MvL on August 18th, 2007

    • yeah i totally agree.

      .....-----

      by .....----- on August 18th, 2007

    • That's fascinating. I've never heard this. What is the name of the movie?

      - retroglide -

      by - retroglide - on August 18th, 2007

    • 21 grams.

      .....-----

      by .....----- on August 18th, 2007

    • OH! That's the name of the movie? LOL! Thanks!

      - retroglide -

      by - retroglide - on August 18th, 2007

    • yeah its a Mexican film Naomi Watts and Sean Penn are on it . i think

      .....-----

      by .....----- on August 18th, 2007

    • I'm a huge Sean Penn fan. I'll have to rent it. Thanks.

      - retroglide -

      by - retroglide - on August 18th, 2007

    • Its a great film you wont regret it.

      .....-----

      by .....----- on August 18th, 2007

    • but was this tested on gingers?

      imjustsomeperson

      by imjustsomeperson on April 29th, 2011

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