Death is as certain as taxes, but the mystery surrounding what happens afterward remains one of life’s biggest unanswered questions. At some point, nearly everyone wonders: Is there such a thing as the human soul? And if so, where does it go when we die? These questions transcend religion, culture, and personal beliefs. From ancient civilizations to modern scientists, the search for answers has been ongoing for millennia. Regardless of where you stand—whether you’re a skeptic or a believer—the intrigue surrounding the soul and the afterlife is universal.
But what if science could actually offer some insight? What if there’s a possibility that the soul—something traditionally regarded as beyond the physical—might have a tangible connection to the world? A few scientists, including pioneers like Duncan MacDougall, have tried to probe this existential question, merging metaphysics with measurable data. And while the results are far from conclusive, they offer us a glimpse into the fascinating possibility of life beyond death.
Duncan MacDougall’s Experiment: Weighing the Soul
In the early 1900s, Massachusetts physician Duncan MacDougall embarked on one of the most unusual and thought-provoking experiments in the realm of metaphysics: trying to weigh the human soul. The concept itself was bold. At a time when science and religion often clashed, MacDougall sought to bridge the gap by providing physical evidence of the soul’s existence.
Using six patients who were on the verge of death due to tuberculosis—a disease that was rampant in those days—MacDougall meticulously weighed their bodies right before and after they passed away. His hypothesis? If the soul exists and departs the body at the moment of death, this transition should create a measurable change in weight.
MacDougall’s results seemed astounding. After the patients’ deaths, his scales registered a small but noticeable drop in weight—around ¾ of an ounce or 21 grams. He concluded that this difference was due to the soul leaving the body, a claim that set the world abuzz with both fascination and skepticism. It wasn’t just the audacity of the experiment that captured people’s attention, but the idea that something as elusive and spiritual as the soul might have a physical presence.
This revelation, at least at first glance, seemed groundbreaking for early 20th-century science. It implied that the soul, often considered a purely abstract or religious concept, might not only exist but also be measurable in the same way as physical matter. However, MacDougall’s findings were met with scrutiny, especially among the scientific community.
Flaws and Criticism
Although MacDougall’s experiment made headlines, it wasn’t without its critics. Skeptics quickly pointed out significant flaws in his approach. For instance, not all of the bodies in his study exhibited weight loss, a fact that MacDougall’s published findings conveniently omitted. This raised immediate concerns about the consistency and reliability of his data.
Furthermore, many argued that the drop in weight could easily be explained by normal physiological processes. One common explanation was that the body loses moisture after death through evaporation, which could account for the slight weight reduction. Other biological factors, such as the release of gases or the cessation of blood flow, could also lead to a small drop in weight, without needing to invoke the existence of a soul.
Despite these critiques, MacDougall’s experiment remains one of the most famous attempts to scientifically prove the existence of the soul. While his findings were inconclusive and his methods questionable by today’s standards, his work opened the door for future discussions at the intersection of science and spirituality. MacDougall’s experiment serves as a reminder that the question of what happens to us after we die is as much about curiosity and wonder as it is about hard data.
Has Anyone Else Studied Where the Soul Goes When You Die?
The mystery of the soul has captivated the minds of thinkers throughout history, sparking countless debates and theories. From ancient philosophers like Plato, who believed the soul was immortal and separate from the body, to modern neuroscientists investigating the nature of consciousness, the search for answers has persisted. Some theories claim to confirm the existence of the soul, while others reject it as nothing more than a comforting illusion.
One of the most intriguing modern approaches comes from the world of quantum physics, where the line between science and metaphysics often blurs. Two prominent figures in this field, anesthesiologist Dr. Stuart Hameroff from the University of Arizona and British physicist Sir Roger Penrose, have developed a groundbreaking theory called Orchestrated Objective Reduction (Orch-OR). This theory offers a scientific yet deeply philosophical view on consciousness and the potential existence of the soul.
At the heart of their theory is the idea that human consciousness—possibly even the soul—resides within the very fabric of our brain cells. Specifically, Hameroff and Penrose argue that microtubules, tiny structures found inside neurons, may store quantum information at a subatomic level. These microtubules, according to the theory, are not just part of the brain’s physical framework but may also hold the key to understanding memory, consciousness, and even life after death.
Microtubules are responsible for helping neurons maintain their shape and play a role in many cellular processes. What makes them fascinating in the context of Orch-OR is the suggestion that these microstructures may be involved in quantum processing, potentially holding information in ways that transcend the physical brain. In other words, our memories, thoughts, and even the essence of what makes us “us” could be stored not just in synapses or brain cells but in quantum states—states that exist at a level far smaller and more complex than we typically imagine.
Hameroff and Penrose’s theory proposes that when we die, the quantum information contained within our neurons is not lost. Instead, it is released into the universe. This idea fits into the larger framework of quantum physics, which suggests that energy and information are never truly destroyed; they simply change form. Therefore, according to this theory, the “soul”—or consciousness—could continue to exist in some form even after the body dies.
Experts: There Is No Death of Consciousness, Just the Death of the Body
When it comes to topics as profound as the soul and consciousness, definitions become vitally important. Are the soul and consciousness the same, or are they distinct aspects of our being? To understand the theory proposed by Dr. Stuart Hameroff and Sir Roger Penrose, it helps to assume that consciousness and the soul are essentially one and the same. This assumption allows us to explore their hypothesis of what happens to the essence of our being—our soul—when the physical body dies.
According to Penrose, the consciousness stored in your brain’s microtubules doesn’t simply disappear upon death. Instead, the quantum information embedded within those tiny structures—memories, experiences, and perhaps the very essence of who we are—is released into the universe. As Penrose explains, “if [a person is] resuscitated, the quantum information is channeled back into the microtubules, and that is what sparks a near-death experience.” This, he suggests, is why individuals who are brought back from the brink of death often report extraordinary experiences, such as seeing lights, floating sensations, or out-of-body encounters.
In the documentary Through the Wormhole, Hameroff sheds light on how this process works in practical terms. He explains that when a person’s heart stops beating and blood flow ceases, the microtubules in the brain lose their quantum state. Yet, crucially, the information stored in those microtubules does not simply vanish. As Hameroff puts it, “The quantum information within the microtubules is not destroyed, it can’t be killed, and it just distributes and dissipates to the universe at large.” In other words, while the physical body may fail, the consciousness—or soul—remains intact, merely shifting into a different form.
Hameroff continues, “If the patient is resuscitated, revived, this quantum information can go back into the microtubules, and the patient says ‘I had a near-death experience.’” This process of the quantum information returning to the body might explain the vivid and often life-altering experiences people describe when they are revived. However, if the person isn’t resuscitated and death is permanent, Hameroff suggests that “it’s possible that this quantum information can exist outside the body, perhaps indefinitely, as a soul.”
The implications of this theory are profound. It suggests that while the body may die, the consciousness—or soul—does not. Instead, it merges with the universe in some form, continuing to exist. For anyone who believes that human beings are more than just physical entities made of biological processes, this theory offers hope. It challenges the notion that death is the end, presenting instead the possibility that the soul persists, not in the body, but as part of the fabric of the universe.
Though Orch-OR remains a controversial and speculative theory, it opens up an exciting conversation about the nature of existence. Hameroff and Penrose’s work hints at the idea that consciousness might not be confined to the body at all, but instead could be a universal phenomenon, existing in ways science is only beginning to grasp.
One thing is important to remember…
Theories do not equate to truth. Arguably, the soul (whatever its true definition is) seems unable to be proved or disproved entirely by science. Even for the logical and scientific mind, there’s a mystery to the human soul that requires a degree of faith. In any case, it’s a question all of us seek answers to and it’s a worthwhile journey to go on.
[1] FACT CHECK: Weight of the Soul. (2013, April 25). Retrieved April 09, 2018, from https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/weight-of-the-soul/ [2] Northoff, G. (n.d.). Minding the Brain. Retrieved April 09, 2018, from https://books.google.ca/books?hl=en&lr=&id=p1UdBQAAQBAJ&oi=fnd&pg=PP1&dq=duncan macdougall soul&ots=eD4O5LvBqa&sig=IQJaEDYUcQxriXBK7aPtj3lg944&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=macdougall&f=false [3] Lanza, R. (n.d.). Does The Soul Exist? Evidence Says ‘Yes’. Retrieved April 09, 2018, from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/biocentrism/201112/does-the-soul-exist-evidence-says-yes [4] T. (2011, January 18). TEDx Brussels 2010 – Stuart Hameroff – Do we have a quantum Soul? Retrieved April 09, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIyEjh6ef_8 [5] E. (n.d.). Q&A: 2 renowned physicists on the controversial theory of consciousness (with video). Retrieved April 09, 2018, from https://www.elsevier.com/connect/q-and-a-2-renowned-physicists-on-the-controversial-theory-of-consciousness [6] M. (2012, November 26). Stuart Hameroff Brain Quantum Computer. Retrieved April 09, 2018, from