The method, known as Stereo-seq V2, may allow scientists to analyze preserved brain tissue at the cellular level, raising questions about whether genius can be decoded biologically.
The technique, presented in the journal Cell, was developed by researchers at BGI-Research. It proposes a more efficient way to study historical samples, and may one day enable scientists to examine what made Einstein’s brain unique—if suitable tissue can be obtained and analyzed.
Exploring Human Cognition at the Cellular Level
The scientific team behind the technique emphasized the potential of RNA sequencing to yield insight into the biological foundations of intelligence. RNA, which facilitates chemical processes and carries biological instructions, acts as a critical medium for understanding how the brain functions on a molecular scale. The Stereo-seq V2 method enhances the precision of RNA mapping by allowing scientists to visualize gene expression with unprecedented detail.
According to Popular Mechanics, Li Young, a co-author of the study and a research associate at BGI-Research, suggested that if the opportunity arose to access Einstein’s preserved brain tissue, the team would consider applying the new method. The goal would be to observe how RNA behavior in his brain may have contributed to his cognitive abilities.
Though practical applications of the method are primarily aimed at improving diagnostics and treatment for rare diseases, its capability to examine preserved specimens gives it a much wider range of potential uses. The method’s high efficiency is particularly valuable, as past efforts to gather meaningful data from degraded samples have faced substantial hurdles.
Einstein’s Brain: A Fragmented Legacy
Albert Einstein’s brain has had a strange and highly contested posthumous journey. During his 1955 autopsy, the pathologist Thomas Harvey removed Einstein’s brain and kept it in his personal possession. The organ was later sliced into approximately 240 pieces, some of which were mounted onto microscope slides and loaned to other researchers. Other parts were reportedly stored in mason jars inside a beer cooler.
Despite its scientific value, the brain remained largely inaccessible to modern research for decades. When rediscovered by a journalist nearly 25 years after Einstein’s death, much of the sample had already been distributed or degraded. Co-author Liao Sha, also part of the BGI-Research team, pointed out that the condition of the tissue may limit what can actually be learned, stating that “if the samples had degraded too much, we would not be able to analyse them effectively.”
This limitation is partly why the new RNA-mapping technique has generated attention. It offers the potential to analyze legacy samples that were previously thought to be too compromised for meaningful examination. While it remains uncertain how well-preserved Einstein’s brain tissue is, the method could open doors to reanalyzing other historical brains, should access and sample condition allow.
Redefining What It Means to Be a Genius
The researchers behind Stereo-seq V2 do not claim to have found a genetic key to genius. In fact, as Popular Mechanics reports, the broader scientific consensus is that exceptional intelligence arises from a complex mix of factors. These include genetics, environment, and personal traits like persistence and curiosity, rather than a single gene or biological switch.
Still, the team believes that analyzing preserved brain samples could deepen our understanding of neurological patterns and development. The possibility of identifying certain combinations of markers or unusual structures at the microscopic level remains a central question. Whether that leads to a clearer understanding of what made thinkers like Einstein exceptional is, for now, unknown.
The researchers intend to use their method primarily for medical applications. Yet, the conceptual promise of examining genius at the molecular level continues to spark interest well beyond the realm of medicine. While caution is warranted, the emergence of Stereo-seq V2 signals a shift in how science might explore the deepest mechanisms behind human cognition.