Scrambled Brain
Albert Einstein was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1921 for his contributions to physics. He proposed the general theory of relativity and other groundbreaking insights. When a rare genius like Albert Einstein comes along, scientists naturally wonder if he had something special between his ears.
Albert Einstein died in 1995 at Princeton Hospital in New Jersey. His brain was removed and preserved for anatomical research. The majority of the brain was cut into 240 blocks; however the remaining portion of the brain was kept in a jar. These pieces were sent to various researches.
A study conducted by a team led by Sandra Witelson, a neurobiologist at McMaster University in Hamilton, found that Einstein's parietal lobes were 15% wider than normal parietal lobes. Another study conducted by Dean Falk, an anthropologist at Florida State University in Tallahassee, claimed to have discovered a rare pattern of grooves and ridges in the parietal regions of both sides of the brain. The team compared photographs of Einstein’s brain to a second previously published set of 58 control brains.
The right parietal lobe is critical for visual working memory. This enhancement in mathematical, visual, and spatial cognition might somehow be related to Einstein’s superior ability to conceptualize physics problems. Critics state that these findings are highly speculative, taking in to consideration that the evidence is derived through photographical analysis.
Posted by Saad Choudhry (10)
Update (April 24, 2009):
Most studies regarding the anatomy and physiology of Albert Einstein’s brain have revealed similar findings, that certain parts of the brain were indeed very unusual. Many experimenters have speculated that these unusual features are related to Einstein’s superior ability to conceptualize physics problems. However, a study conducted by a team led by Sandra Witelson, a neurobiologist at McMaster University in Hamilton, revealed one component that failed to explain Einstein’s mental prowess. The size of Einstein’s brain fell at the low end of average for modern humans. The explanation remains a mystery.
posted by PWH @ 11:30 PM
12 comments
12 Comments:
this is very interesting, i wonder about other "genius" brains look like and what their brains parietal lobes size is compared to Einstein? If thi study if from 1995, have there been other things discovered about Einsteins brain since, or other brains found with large parietal lobes like his that aren't considered "genius"?
Samantha DeBiasio
This is really cool! Have they compared his brain to other geniuses' brains? How much of his brain did he use? Do we really use 10% of our brains, do you think? I read that we use more than 10%, that we use the majority of our brains, just not as the same time. What do you think studying Einstein's brain will help us with in the future?
-Alyson Paige
I had no idea that Einstein's brain was preserved somewhere, but you learn something new everyday. I think it is very cool that he donated his brain to science so that we can see just how his wiring looked. I wonder if Einstein's head was also bigger than average? Its hard to tell with all that crazy hair.
-Calin Darabus
I agree with the skeptics. I wonder how often people like Einstein leave their brains to be studied? Do they still have samples of his brain to look at?
You use 100% of your brain.
Nick Cline
It's pretty creepy that there are people spending time researching how his brain differs from the norm physically - what do you think we would we do with the knowledge if we found out why he was smart?
Nicholas Skvir
Interesting. I don't know much about the average parietal lobe size, but is 15% a really significant difference? I'm sure us average brains range in size as well.
-Jane de Verges
Cool blog. I always thought brain size wasn't related to intelligence. I didn't know they kept Einstein's brain. Was the discovery of the 15% larger parietal lobe recent? Also, do they have any other "great minds" to compare Einstein's brain with rather than control brains?
-Alex Pavidapha
Interesting blog. Do you know if they have done modern testing on Einstein's brain to account for his intelligence and if it is still preserved?
-Julio Rodriguez
This is really interesting. I wish there was a way to study his brain while he was alive. It would be intersting to see if his brain was neurologically wired differently. The physical findings are definitely a step in the right direction though. It is hard to really understand if the different shape and size contributed to his brilliance.
-Katie Cyr
I just learned about Einsteins brain in my anatomy and physiology class so it was interesting to read this article. Its true his parietal (right) lobe is exceptionally large; however, did you know that the size of his total brain is actually smaller than the average brain!?!?
-Rachael Carlevale
This kind of reminds me of people who are savants at something, or some artists who suffer from a mental illness leading to their individual form of expression. Although the article does say this is mostly photographic speculation I think it's safe to say Einstein must've had something special under the hood.
-Conor Stenerson
very interesting post Saad!
This is really cool because I don't think I've ever considered the physical manifestations on the brain of "genius." How long does a brain last in preservatives these days? Will Einstein's brain last forever?
-Jillian O'Keefe
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