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Our favorite brains, including Einstein's stolen one

Jul 15, 2026 · 13m

Summary

In this farewell episode, retiring NPR neuroscience reporter John Hamilton shares his favorite brain stories from 15 years of reporting. He discusses a man born without a cerebellum, the theft and study of Albert Einstein’s brain, and animal tool use by orangutans. Hamilton also reflects on the unique perspective of an autistic student and expresses curiosity about the navigational abilities of fruit fly brains.

Topics discussed

Introduction: John Hamilton's favorite brains Jonathan Kelleher and the missing cerebellum The theft and study of Einstein's brain Animal intelligence and tool use Dax: Insights from an autistic brain The complexity of the fruit fly brain Closing remarks and credits
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