The weight loss at death story is nothing more than that- a myth. Though "evidence" complete with references has been manufactured by those with an axe to grind. But, if Lynne is right, and animals show a similar qualitative change at death, it is something that is easily tested. We could set up a closed system of a chamber containing an animal, and a dose of lethal gas connected via a valve.

The animal should for preference be one that can be expected to have a significant mass of soul. We would expect human souls to be heavier, pro rata, than those of rats, say, but those animals with "nearly human" characteristics should maximize the effect. Let us choose dogs- perhaps Labradors that "understand every word" you say.

The system is weighed while the animal is alive, then the valve is opened. As we have only transferred mass from one part of the closed system to another, any weight loss must be due to the incorporeal soul. As animal souls are assumed to be very light compared to human, the weighing system must be as accurate as possible, and to ensure a significant result, the experiment should be repeated many times.

Two controls can be set up to eliminate spuriae: a chamber with pure air instead of lethal gas, and a chamber with lethal gas but an already dead dog (which could be re- used from a previous run of the experiment).

If a null result is obtained, it could be taken as meaning that animals have no souls, or that animal souls have no mass. In which case the only option is to repeat the preocedure using humans. Perhaps pedophiles, Democrats or Boston Red Sox supporters would be considered acceptably disposable.

It may sound cruel, but as the existence or otherwise of the soul has been the cause of much conflict, a definitive answer to at least this aspect would be in the long term advantageous.