What Makes a Genius - pt 6

What Makes a Genius?
Could you have come up with Einstein's theory of relativity? If not - why not? This is what Marcus du Sautoy, professor of mathematics, wants to explore. Marcus readily admits that he is no genius, but wants to know if geniuses are just an extreme version of himself - or whether their brains are fundamentally different.

Marcus meets some remarkable individuals - Tommy, an obsessive artist who uses his whole house as his canvas; Derek: blind, autistic, and a pianist with apparently prodigious gifts; Claire who is also blind, but whose brain has learnt to see using sound.

Marcus is shown how babies have remarkable abilities which most of us lose as teenagers. He meets a neuroscientist who claims he has evidence of innate ability, a scientist who's identified a gene for learning, and Dr. Paulus, who has discovered how to sharpen the brain... by electrically turbo-charging it.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• genius
• mathematics
• Einstein
• neuroscience
• genetics
• gene-manipulation
• genetic
• inheritance
• what
• makes

[greyndog1]

that was a really interesting show

[PrUnEJuIcEtHeThIrD]

I actually feel bad for Tommi. To be involuntarily forced to paint 24/7 by your body is as much of a curse as it is a gift.

[PZAE16]

Is this guy intentionally asking extremely stupid questions?

[RyanDemaree]

@PrUnEJuIcEtHeThIrD Its not as bad as you might think.

[Alternatevil]

I wonder if I can get him to paint my house...?

[BarkyDarks]

@ CCNuck ikr

[EclecticSceptic]

Thanks for uploading.

[CCNuck]

Oh Lord, as a person with ADD, low latent inhibition is a biiiiiiig deal. On the bright side, I get to be all paint-y and write-y and sculpt-a-papier-mache-turtle-b­ank-y; on the dim side, if someone down the hall is playing their music I get incredibly stressed and can't work, or sleep, or read, or anything, until it stops.

[guitargod10940]

For every genius there is a scientist trying to make sense of how they are they way they are.

[MassiveZero]

@dedbusted No problem. ^^

[dedbusted]

@MassiveZero thanks. 

[MassiveZero]

@dedbusted Sort of. Its like for relaxing.