The Afterlife in Modern Science
Modern science, in general, either describes the universe and human beings without reference to a soul or to an afterlife, or tends to remain mute on the issue. A notable exception is a famous study conducted in 1901 by physician Duncan MacDougall, who sought to measure the weight purportedly lost by a human body when the soul departed the body upon death.
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In Search of the Soul
MacDougall weighed dying patients in an attempt to prove that the soul was material, tangible, and thus measurable. These experiments are widely considered to have had little if any scientific merit, and although MacDougall's results varied considerably from "21 grams," for some people this figure has become synonymous with the measure of a soul's mass. The title of the 2003 movie 21 Grams is a reference to MacDougall's findings.
Science Weighs In
Others, such as Francis Crick in 1994, have attempted a "scientific search for the soul." Frank Tipler has argued that physics can explain immortality, though such arguments are not falsifiable and thus do not qualify as science.
Failed Attempts
Some investigations have been conducted and failed to find evidence that "out-of-body" experiences transcend the confines of the brain. For example, one hospital placed an LED marquee above its patients' beds which displayed a hidden message that could only be read if one were looking down from above. As of 2001, no one who claimed having a near-death experience or an out-of-body experience within that hospital had reported having seen the hidden message.
Lack of evidence or the failures of science?
