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Cambridge University Science Magazine

In 2011, Prof. Falk found that the cerebral cortex, the highly folded area of the human brain responsible for complex cognitive processes, was “extraordinarily” large relative to the rest of his brain. Using the same series of photographs, taken in 1955, then subsequently lost, and rediscovered less than 10 years ago, it was recently found by Falk and her team that the two hemispheres were connected to an uncommon degree.

It is reported that the physicist had an extraordinary ability to think about primarily abstract, learnt concepts as if they were tangible and mappable in space: a method thought to form the basis of highly proficient numerical manipulations. The cross links between the left and right sides of Einstein's brain may provide evidence for this hypothesis, as each side it allegedly involved in action-based and concept-based processes to a different degree. Whilst we may be far from discovering the neural mechanisms which allow our species to ponder the fundamental nature of space-time, this research seems to be one step in the direction toward describing the anatomical basis of intelligence.

doi: 10.1093/brain/awt252

Written by Elly Smith.