Overview of Our favorite brains, including Einstein's stolen one
In this Short Wave episode from NPR, host Regina Barber talks with retiring neuroscience reporter John Hamilton about some of the most memorable brains he has covered over his career. The conversation ranges from a man born without a cerebellum, to the strange saga of Albert Einstein’s stolen brain, to animal tool use, autism, and the still-mysterious fruit fly brain. The episode is both a look back at standout science reporting and a reminder that brains are far more complex—and more surprising—than we often assume.
Key Stories and Brains Featured
The cerebellum and why it matters
- Hamilton recalls reporting on a man named Jonathan who never had a functioning cerebellum.
- The cerebellum, located at the base of the brain, is crucial not just for balance and coordination, but also for speech, language, and broader coordination of information and emotion.
- The story helped challenge the long-standing view that the cerebellum was relatively unimportant.
Einstein’s stolen brain
- After Albert Einstein died in 1955, the pathologist performing his autopsy, Dr. Thomas Harvey, removed and later effectively stole his brain.
- Harvey sent pieces of the brain to researchers over time in hopes of discovering the biological basis of Einstein’s genius.
- Most studies found the brain looked fairly ordinary, but one notable finding came from researcher Marion Diamond, who found an unusually high number of astrocytes.
- The episode highlights how “helper” cells like astrocytes and other glial cells are now understood to play meaningful roles in higher brain functions.
Animal brains and tool use
- Hamilton discusses how scientists have repeatedly found that behaviors once thought uniquely human are also present in animals.
- Examples include chimpanzees using twigs to fish for termites, crows making hooks, and octopuses using coconut shells as portable shelter.
- He shares a memorable field story from the Indianapolis Zoo, where an orangutan named Kenobi used a branch as a tool to try to reach his microphone.
An autistic brain and a different kind of insight
- Hamilton describes interviewing a college student named Dax, who is autistic and described feeling like an “space alien” observing neurotypical social life.
- Dax’s perspective offered insight into human social behavior and also emphasized the beauty and depth of an autistic way of experiencing the world.
- The story underscores that neurodivergent brains can reveal important truths about cognition and perception.
The fruit fly brain: tiny but extraordinary
- Hamilton says the brain he most wants to understand is the fruit fly brain.
- Scientists have mapped the fruit fly connectome, or full network of neural connections, but that still doesn’t explain how such a tiny brain can navigate in three dimensions so effectively.
- The fruit fly remains a major mystery despite impressive progress.
Main Takeaways
- The brain is not just about neurons; glial cells and other supporting cells matter too.
- Structures once considered secondary, like the cerebellum, can influence many aspects of thought and behavior.
- Intelligence and tool use are not uniquely human.
- Neurodivergent perspectives can illuminate how human minds work.
- Even when scientists map a brain’s wiring, understanding how it actually computes remains a major challenge.
Notable Insights
- The cerebellum was once compared to “the Rodney Dangerfield of the brain” because it “got no respect.”
- Einstein’s brain story is a cautionary tale about the obsession with locating genius in anatomy.
- Hamilton’s favorite reporting subjects tend to be the ones that overturn assumptions about what brains can do.
Credits and Closing
- The episode serves as a farewell feature for John Hamilton, who is retiring after years of neuroscience reporting at NPR.
- Produced by Rachel Carlson, edited by Rebecca Ramirez, with fact-checking by Tyler Jones and John Hamilton.