Heroes, Martyrs and Saints. The Perilous Fate of Savant Relics

Relics of eminent men of science possess an aura whose impact extends well beyond ordinary scientific research and rationality. It inspired semi-religious rites that, as I have suggested, began in classical antiquity and projected onto the figures of natural scientists supernatural qualities which deserved reverence and unconditional faith. Even when the imitation of religious rites faded, the relics of scientists continued to attract a great deal of attention. It was thought that the mis¬tery behind genius and the spirit of invention might be hidden in the scant remains left after their death. Although the results have been, to say the least, inconclusive (as in the case of Descartes), research on the size of the brains of eminent scientists has continued up to recent years and there is nothing to indicate that it will stop in the near future. Einstein’s brain still forms the subject of scientific research as well as of public interest.