When Albert Einstein died on April 18, 1955, at Princeton Hospital, something extraordinary — and ethically troubling — happened. Thomas Harvey, the pathologist who performed the autopsy, removed Einstein's brain without the family's permission and kept it for himself, beginning one of the strangest stories in the history of neuroscience.
Harvey was apparently motivated by scientific curiosity — he hoped that studying Einstein's brain would reveal the physical basis of his genius. Einstein had previously expressed a wish that his body be cremated, but Harvey convinced Einstein's son Hans Albert to grant retroactive permission for scientific research.
Harvey kept the brain preserved in a jar, first in his office and later in his home, over decades of an itinerant life. He cut it into 240 blocks, made slides, and sent samples to researchers around the world. For most of 40 years, very little was published.
The most significant findings emerged decades later. Sandra Witelson's 1999 study found that Einstein's parietal lobes — involved in mathematical and spatial reasoning — were 15% wider than average, and that the Sylvian fissure (a groove separating brain regions) was missing, potentially allowing greater connectivity between areas involved in abstract thought.
Dean Falk's 2012 analysis of photographs found unusual features in multiple regions, including an expanded prefrontal cortex. However, neuroscientists caution strongly against over-interpreting these findings: with a sample size of one, no one can say whether these features caused Einstein's genius or were coincidental.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who stole Einstein's brain?
Thomas Harvey, the pathologist who performed Einstein's autopsy at Princeton Hospital, removed and kept Einstein's brain without prior consent. He kept it for over 40 years.
What did scientists find when they studied Einstein's brain?
Studies found wider-than-average parietal lobes (involved in spatial and mathematical reasoning), unusual cortical folding patterns, and potentially more connectivity between certain regions. However, with a sample of one, conclusions must be treated with caution.
