Elements Behind Genius

In his understanding genius talk, Michio Kaku dispels the prevalent "clueless nerd" stereotype that's often referenced in popular culture.

While this stereotype may be a "carnal untruth," as Kaku says, there is a small percentage of geniuses who fall under this category. Kaku suggests that they may suffer from a mild from of autism known as Asperger's Syndrome, which interferes with the ability to process social cues and interaction. Indeed, one of the greatest minds in recorded history, Isaac Newton, was believed to be autistic.

Kaku goes on to suggest that this can be explained by differences in brain composition. For instance, those with incredible, savant-like abilities have often suffered an injury to their left temporal lobe. Another example can be found in Albert Einstein, whose brain shows a thicker-than-average connection between his prefrontal cortex and parietal lobe. However, it remains unclear whether Einstein's brain structure made him, or whether Einstein made his brain structure. In other words, are champions born or are they made? Though we know that mental exercise can alter the brain, it is still unknown to what extent we can improve our mental functions.