21 Grams, Woo Science, and the Quantum Soul

Abstract

What weighs the same as any of the following objects: a stack of five nickels, a chocolate bar, or a hummingbird? The answer is the human soul, which according to a bizarre, fringe science experiment in 1907 possesses a mass of 21 grams. That figure hasn’t quite achieved meme status in pop culture, but it is referenced in manga, hip hop, a podcast, books (including Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol), television, and movies. One film in particular, the edgy, brooding crime pic 21 Grams, directed by Alejandro (Birdman, The Revenant) Iñárritu, provides a unique opportunity for reflecting on both spiritual and scientific questions