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"In this unusual and penetrating work, Clifford Pickover internationally recognized science popularizer - takes us on a wild ride through the bizarre lives of brilliant, but eccentric geniuses who made"
Filled with 200 years of eccentric geniuses, this delightful collection of profiles assembles an eclectic and fascinating sampling of scientists (as well as some artists and writers) with a far-ranging assortment of phobias, compulsions, odd belief systems and extraordinarily weird habits. Chief among the scientists is Nikola Tesla, father of alternating current and countless other electrical devices, who could be seen on New York City's streets covered in pigeons, was obsessed with the number three and repulsed by jewelry, particularly pearls. Then there is Oliver Heaviside, a Victorian mathematician and electrical researcher who painted his nails bright pink, signed his correspondence "W.O.R.M." and cruelly kept the woman charged with his care a virtual prisoner in her own house, later driving her into catatonia. Also explored are the lives of Samuel Johnson, van Gogh and legendary mathematician Paul Erdos, among others. Pickover, a high-tech inventor and researcher at IBM and a prolific author (TimeA Traveler's Guide; Forecasts, Apr. 20) shows genuine fondness for his subjects and an appreciation of their accomplishments, which he explains clearly and succinctly. More than simply cataloguing unusual traits, Pickover also speculates on causes and diagnoses, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE). This is lively and immensely enjoyable scientific history. Photos throughout. (June)
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Jussara Giolo Silva
reviewed Strange Brains and Genius: The Secret Lives of Eccentric Scientists and Madmen on March 21, 2015
Strange Brains and Genius: The Secret Lives of Eccentric Scientists and Madmen
The secret lives of eccentric scientists are a fascinating look at what creative people with very odd habits accomplished throughout recent history. The first part of the books showcases these individuals. I will give a brief summation of two of my favorite ones. The commonality of the group was that none of them were married. They were mostly all asexual.
Oliver Heavside was an English inventor who established mathematical foundations for modern electric circuit design. His weird behaviors included scotophilia (love of the dark), claustrophilia (enjoyed working in tight spaces) and thermophilia (loved sweltering hot places to work in). He also painted his nails pink and replaced his furniture with granite blocks.
Geoffrey Pike an inventor who controlled one third of the world's tin supply by creating a mathematical formula that predicted stock prices. When World War I broke out he volunteered for the English Newspaper the Daily Chronicle to go to Germany and report his findings. He was caught and imprisoned as a spy. However, he escaped prison by calculating the time of day the sun would temporarily blind the guard's eyes. Then he crawled by the unsuspecting Guard undetected. Some of his odd behaviors included hypergraphia (obsessive writing), he only ate herring and biscuits and he detested socks.
The author proceeds to ask current intellectuals a series of questions which I found to be the most boring part of the book.
The author afterwards explains why these people were both brilliant and crazy. One possibility is that they all may have had a disease called Temporal Lobe Epilepsy (TLE). TLE effects only part of the brain and can alter consciousness. TLE can foster profound insights and mystical visions along with great creativity. It is summarized in this book that people who believe they have been abducted by Aliens and have seen various religious symbols have suffered from TLE which caused their hallucinations.
The book ends with describing recent findings in mental and behavior illness causes and potential cures.
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Add Strange Brains and Genius: The Secret Lives of Eccentric Scientists and Madmen, Never has the term mad scientist been more fascinatingly explored than in internationally recognized popular science author Clifford Pickover's richly researched wild ride through the bizarre lives of eccentric geniuses. A few highlights: Th, Strange Brains and Genius: The Secret Lives of Eccentric Scientists and Madmen to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
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Add Strange Brains and Genius: The Secret Lives of Eccentric Scientists and Madmen, Never has the term mad scientist been more fascinatingly explored than in internationally recognized popular science author Clifford Pickover's richly researched wild ride through the bizarre lives of eccentric geniuses. A few highlights: Th, Strange Brains and Genius: The Secret Lives of Eccentric Scientists and Madmen to your collection on WonderClub |
