The Strange Case of Einstein's Vanished Brain
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Chapter 1: The Final Moments of a Genius
On April 18, 1955, in Princeton, New Jersey, Albert Einstein passed away in a hospital. The renowned physicist succumbed to an aortic aneurysm at the age of 76. A nurse present during his last moments heard him whisper something in German, but sadly, she could not comprehend his final words. Thus, whatever Einstein said in his last breath faded away into silence.
Shortly after his death, his brain also disappeared. In accordance with Einstein’s wishes, his body was cremated the same day of the autopsy, and his ashes were scattered in a secretive location, likely the Delaware River, to prevent his grave from becoming a site of pilgrimage. Interestingly, it is believed that Einstein had requested his brain be preserved for scientific research, though this claim has faced scrutiny over the years.
Dr. Thomas Harvey, the pathologist responsible for Einstein’s autopsy, removed his brain for examination. Despite lacking expertise in neurological studies, Dr. Harvey intended to conduct research on the brain of the genius. Although the Einstein family was initially upset, they eventually consented, provided that no publicity would arise from it, leading to a shroud of secrecy.
Years rolled by without any published findings, and the subject of Einstein’s brain faded from public consciousness.
In 1978, author Steven Levy, known for his contributions to publications like Newsweek and Wired, was tasked by his editor at New Jersey Monthly to investigate what had happened to Einstein’s brain. Nearly 25 years after Einstein's death, this was no small feat. The hospital in Princeton had no records of the autopsy, and Dr. Harvey had not been affiliated with the institution since 1960.
Levy eventually located Harvey at a medical laboratory in Wichita, Kansas. The pathologist shared that he had offered samples of Einstein’s brain to several neurologists back in 1955. He transported the brain to the University of Pennsylvania for examination, where it was sliced for microscopic analysis, with some pieces kept in larger c