Comments on: High-rez scan of Einstein's brain slide from Philadelphia's Mütter Museum

By: Andy (Hide Your Arms)

Andy (Hide Your Arms) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 13:05:00 +0000

I liked everything about that museum except for the no photo policy. I guess that at least it forced me to enjoy the items rather than spend time trying to take cool pictures.

By: Amelia_G

Amelia_G — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 06:57:00 +0000

I don’t know anything about what people have published about Einstein’s brain–haven’t even taken the time here, but I will!–but I can’t help thinking back to a teevee documentary I listened to while translating overnight in a hotel room somewhere that claimed Einstein’s biggest theories were come up with while he was “with” a woman physics student, unusual at the time, whom he knocked up and ended her career. Eventually, she was killed by their schizophrenic son while caring for him alone.

By: Bob Sawyer ✌

Bob Sawyer ✌ — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:21:00 +0000

You’re thinking of the scene from Young Frankenstein where Igor drops the brain of Hans Delbruck.

By: robdobbs

robdobbs — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:58:00 +0000

I had understood that he was buried without his brain, that had gone missing because of labs around the world taking their own little samples.

By: Antinous / Moderator

Antinous / Moderator — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 21:27:00 +0000

Women practically lined up to get into Al’s pants…Presumably they were attracted by his brain

Yup, his brain. Definitely not any other organ in his head. Nope.

By: Robert Baruch

Robert Baruch — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:57:00 +0000

Centered is the “Special Relativity” neuron that gave him all that fame. A couple of neurons over is the one that made him stick his tongue out for a photograph.

By: Lobster

Lobster — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:40:00 +0000

Dropped, threw, it’s all relative.

By: EricT

EricT — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 19:32:00 +0000

I remember hearing an anecdote somewhere concerning how, during the initial removal of Einstein’s brain, someone dropped it on the floor. Has anyone else heard that, or am I just imagining it?

By: Awesomer

Awesomer — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:50:00 +0000

Dang. He looks really smart.

By: Lobster

Lobster — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:40:00 +0000

Ya think, Einstein?

By: Kieran O'Neill

Kieran O'Neill — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:31:00 +0000

Thanks Cory. This is at very least an important symbolic gesture in the fight for open access scientific data.

However, do you think you could get some more information about the slide (without which it is fairly useless)? In particular, for context, the slide needs to include which part of the brain this was taken from, which way it was sectioned, and what stain(s) were used.

By: Charlie B

Charlie B — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:27:00 +0000

Women practically lined up to get into Al’s pants, despite his poor fashion sense, poor speaking skills, reputation for poor personal hygiene, and poor treatment of the women in his life. Presumably they were attracted by his brain, which is why the rest of us heterosexual males are extremely interested in finding out more about it. OK, I’m mostly kidding… mostly.

The Mütter is only one of Philly’s awesome oddball museums, though – don’t forget the Wagner and the Yellin Yards!

By: Bevatron Repairman

Bevatron Repairman — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:22:00 +0000

I love the Mutter Museum. I went to a wedding and wedding reception there at the College of Surgeons. Quite fun to enjoy a cocktail while looking at drawers full of Chief Justice John Marshall’s kidney stones.

By: pKp

pKp — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:18:00 +0000

Bit of culture : here’s Roland Barthes’ (famous French semiologist) take on the craze around Einstein’s brain : http://www.scribd.com/doc/4612523/Mythologies-by-Roland-Barthes-as-selected-and-translated-by-Annette-Lavers (page 68, somewhat garbled).

By: GlenJordan

GlenJordan — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 18:09:00 +0000

Without analysis and the context of other brains it’s a relic with no scientific value.

By: BillKosMD

BillKosMD — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 17:57:00 +0000

Compared to what?