From S. Das, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre
Reading the dialogue between Alison Motluk and Sandra Witelson
(18 March, p 43),
I cannot understand why Einstein’s family gave his brain to a clinical
pathologist instead of to a laboratory engaged in research on the human brain.
Was it a donation, or was a price was attached to it? When a brain is
fragmented, how much information is lost? And can a fragmented brain be
reassembled to its original state?
Relating Einstein’s extraordinary ability to the uniqueness in the anatomy of
his Sylvian fissure has two deficiencies. First, no comparison is made between
Einstein’s brain and the brains of persons possessing the same or similar
ability. Second, comparison of his brain with about 150 normal brains is
statistically insignificant.
Mumbai, India
