What is the Mystery and Controversy of Einstein’s Brain?
Why and How Einstein’s Brain Disappeared for Many Years: A Essence Story
The story of Albert Einstein’s brain is one of mystery and controversy. After Einstein died in 1955, his brain became the subject of scientific curiosity and a tale that has fascinated the public for decades. Many facts have come to light in this regard. After an extensive study, a comprehensive essence of the “Mystery and Controversy of Einstein’s Brain” has been presented here.
Now let’s look at a historical summary of what happened:
Death and Autopsy
Albert Einstein passed away on April 18, 1955, at the age of 76, from an abdominal aortic aneurysm in Princeton, New Jersey. Albert Einstein‘s brain was removed within seven and a half hours of his death.
Following his death, a pathologist named Dr. Thomas Stoltz Harvey was assigned to perform the autopsy at Princeton Hospital. During this procedure, Harvey removed Einstein’s brain, reportedly without the permission of Einstein’s family.
Was Einstein’s Brain Stolen?
The term “stolen” can be somewhat misleading, but published facts show that it captures the unauthorized nature of the removal. While Harvey did take the brain without explicit consent from Einstein’s family, he did have permission from Princeton Hospital’s chief of surgery.
However, Einstein’s family, mainly his son Hans Albert, was initially unaware of Harvey’s actions and became quite upset when they learned what had happened.
Why Was Einstein’s Brain Taken?
Harvey took Einstein’s brain because, like many scientists of his time, he was fascinated by the idea of exploring the biological basis of genius.
There was a belief that physical characteristics of the brain might explain Einstein’s extraordinary intellectual abilities. Harvey intended to conduct extensive studies and share Einstein’s brain with other researchers to discover the secrets behind his genius.
What Happened to the Brain?
After removing Einstein’s brain, Harvey photographed it, measured it, and then cut it into 240 blocks. He preserved the pieces in celloidin and kept them in two large jars.
Harvey kept Einstein’s brain to himself for several decades, storing it in various locations, including his office, a cider box under a beer cooler, and even his home. He lost his medical credentials in 1988, partly due to his possession of the brain.
Harvey sent small portions of Einstein’s brain to other researchers worldwide for study. Over the years, several studies have been published, but none can conclusively determine if Einstein’s brain was anatomically unique in a way that explains his intellectual prowess.
The Family’s Reaction
Einstein’s family, mainly his son Hans Albert, was initially upset about the removal of his father’s brain. However, they eventually gave Harvey a limited form of retroactive permission on the condition that the brain would only be used for scientific purposes and that the results would be published in reputable journals.
The Brain’s Secret Journey
During his time in Kansas, Harvey kept Einstein’s brain in a cider box under a beer cooler. For over 20 years, the brain remained hidden away until journalist Steven Levy rediscovered it in 1978.
Harvey had preserved sections of the brain in alcohol-filled mason jars, and he even drove it across several U.S. states and into Canada.
Scientific Studies and Findings
Various studies were conducted over the years on the slices of Einstein’s brain that Harvey distributed. Some researchers claimed to find unique features, such as an unusually high number of glial cells relative to neurons in certain parts of Einstein’s brain or distinctive folding patterns in the prefrontal cortex associated with complex thinking and planning.
Some studies suggested that Einstein’s brain had more glial cells than the average brain, which could potentially relate to higher cognitive performance. However, the exact correlation between Einstein’s brain structure and genius remains elusive. It’s a tantalizing mystery that intrigues scientists and the public alike.
However, many in the scientific community were skeptical of these findings due to the need for a large control group and the subjective nature of some interpretations.
Later Years and Final Resting Place
In the 1970s, Harvey gave some portions of Einstein’s brain to Dr. Marian Diamond, a neuroscientist at the University of California, Berkeley, who conducted studies on the brain and published findings in reputable scientific journals.
Harvey continued to keep the remaining pieces until the late 1990s.
Towards the end of his life, Harvey decided to return the remains of Einstein’s brain to Princeton Hospital. However, not all parts were returned, and some slices remain in the hands of various researchers and institutions worldwide.
Cultural Impact and Legacy
The story of Einstein’s brain has become a part of popular culture. It has sparked debates about ethics in science, the nature of genius, and the search for biological determinants of intelligence.
The fascination with Einstein’s brain reflects a broader human desire to understand the mystery of extraordinary intellectual ability and the ethical dilemmas that arise when scientific curiosity collide with personal privacy and respect.
In the end,
Einstein’s brain was not “stolen” in the literal sense. Still, it was taken without the full consent of his family, leading to a series of scientific studies that have yet to reveal the secrets of his genius definitively.
The brain’s journey from Einstein’s skull to scientific labs worldwide has become a tale of curiosity, controversy, and the limits of science in explaining the human mind.
Ultimately, Einstein’s legacy lives on more powerfully through his contributions to science than through the biological remnants of his brain.
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