Einstein had a Woman’s Brain

My theory and it’s all relative

It’s common for people to interchange the words ‘genius’ and ‘Einstein’ when describing a really smart, ‘off the charts’ person. I haven’t noticed gender specificity much. “She’s such an Einstein” can be easily uttered. And Einstein was truly a genius.

Who doesn’t like to slip “E=MC2” into a good conversation?

Yes, I’m a tad off plumb so I would, and have done this. All we actually need to know is that it’s the theory of relativity and we feel smart. Thanks to the genius, Einstein.

So, too, was Isaac Newton, but thankfully, we don’t hear “He’s such a Newton.” My brain goes immediately to the cookie, the coveted fig newton. He gets credit, even though we weren’t given his brain to study, for being a genius as the father of Calculus and for the discovery of Physics.

The actual definition of genius is not simply because of one’s IQ.

Adding in the ability to implement great ideas, innovations, new inventions, and changing the way we previously looked at the world before a highly intelligent person’s input or creativity, would be more accurate.

Delving into the analysis of Einstein’s thinking started with the actual dissection of his brain, for me. He donated it to science. It was removed, and preservation began, approximately 7 ½ hours from his death.

Contrary to popular belief, Einstein’s brain was slightly smaller on the scale of the average brain size. But what he may have lacked in size he made up for in lobe development. Parts were wider, such as the parietal lobe that deals with spatial reasoning and math.

To further understand his abilities, he was lacking the common fissure which allowed the different sides, different areas, to communicate better than most.

Most.

Women have a very similar setup.

It would be easy for me to get ahead of myself here because, you know, I’m a woman. But, I won’t. I am, however, connecting my lobes at warp speed.

Let’s start with the man’s brain versus the woman’s brain. It’s not a contest, just the scientific analysis, so I ask the peanut gallery to simmer down.

Per How Stuff Works:

In 2001, researchers from Harvard found that certain parts of the brain were differently sized in males and females, which may help balance out the overall size difference. The study found that parts of the frontal lobe, responsible for problem-solving and decision-making, and the limbic cortex, responsible for regulating emotions, were larger in women [source: Hoag]. In men, the parietal cortex, which is involved in space perception, and the amygdala, which regulates sexual and social behavior, were larger [source: Hoag].

Men also have approximately 6.5 times more gray matter in the brain than women, but before the heads of all the men out there start to swell, listen to this: Women have about 10 times more white matter than men do [source: Carey]. This difference may account for differences in how men and women think. Men seem to think with their gray matter, which is full of active neurons. Women think with the white matter, which consists more of connections between the neurons. In this way, a woman’s brain is a bit more complicated in setup, but those connections may allow a woman’s brain to work faster than a man’s [source: Hotz].

…men use gray matter, and women use white, but they’re also accessing different sections of the brain for the same task. In one study, men and women were asked to sound out different words. Men relied on just one small area on the left side of the brain to complete the task, while the majority of women used areas in both sides of the brain [source: Kolata].

My Theory

Men not only rely on their grey matter but they have more of it than women possess. That’s important to note and a valid asset. Conversely, women have more white matter which helps facilitate their speedy and dense neuron connections.

Woman multi-task their daily lives as well as their brainpower.

So, for men, size apparently does matter because their brains are slightly larger. But women pack a punch with their rapid neuron connections.

I am salivating now.

Not that geniuses are more likely based on gender. Intelligence isn’t determined by grey matter versus white, active neurons, or even neuron connections and speed.

It’s not about men or women.

The theory that I put forth is this:

Einstein’s brain was a little smaller. He lacked a fissure that allowed for rapid connections and the natural ability to use more of his brain. Both lobes, much like… well, a woman.

It’s too hard to ignore.

2 + 2 = 4.

I will leave my possibly very lonely, opinion here.

I have a checkbook to balance, while I’m cleaning my oven, feeding my grandson, plucking my eyebrows, watering the neighbor’s plants, changing the oil in my car, and folding laundry.