Einstein's genius brain faces the chance to be decoded after 70 years

(Dan Tri) - Chinese scientists have just developed an RNA mapping technique, opening up an unprecedented opportunity to decode Albert Einstein's brain, which has been preserved since 1955.

Albert Einstein was one of the greatest physicists of all time (Photo: Getty).

In the history of science , Albert Einstein's brain has always been a mysterious symbol, associated with the question: What creates the super intelligence of a genius?

After his death, his brain was cut into 240 blocks and carefully preserved. But due to the primitive preservation technology of the time, analysis at the cellular level was nearly impossible.

Now, the emergence of Stereo-seq V2 technology developed by a research team at BGI-Research (China) is bringing new hope, not only for neuroscience but also for medicine and gene technology in general.

RNA mapping technology from history

In a new study published in SCMP, the technology, called Stereo-seq V2, is said to be able to map RNA at high resolution even from tissue samples that have been fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin (FFPE), a common preservation method in hospitals, but often causes DNA and RNA damage.

By improving the efficiency of RNA capture, this technique allows scientists to analyze valuable genetic information that was previously untapped.

In a report published in the journal Cell, the team demonstrated the ability to decode cancer samples stored for nearly 10 years under less than ideal conditions.

From there, they identified tumor regions, immune responses, cell death, and different cell subtypes, opening up the prospect of using the world’s vast archive of patient samples as a “data bank” for retrospective research.

According to Dr. Li Yang from BGI-Research, reusing old biological samples can significantly shorten the time to study rare diseases: “Previously, most techniques only worked with fresh frozen samples, while the quantity was very limited. Now, with Stereo-seq V2, we can recover information from a series of precious samples that have been stored for many years.”

Einstein's brain still challenges scientists

Einstein's brain has been preserved since his death in 1955 (Illustration: Getty).

The idea of ​​applying this technology to Einstein's brain is considered bold but attractive. Because RNA plays an intermediary role in transferring information from DNA to protein, or the factor that determines the activity of nerve cells.

If the RNA map in Einstein's brain cells can be recovered, scientists could take a step closer to explaining the biological basis of genius.

However, the method also faces significant challenges. “If the sample is too degraded, we will not be able to analyze it effectively,” said co-author Liao Sha.

That’s because the storage conditions of the 1950s were far worse than today’s standards, making the risk of losing genetic information very high. However, the team believes that improvements in Stereo-seq V2 can gradually overcome these limitations.

Scientists also recognize the practical value of this technology not only in its ability to "decode" Einstein's brain but also in its wide medical applications.

Accordingly, exploiting data from long-term FFPE samples will support disease diagnosis and treatment, and pave the way for personalized medicine research, especially in the fields of rare diseases and cancer.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/khoa-hoc/bo-nao-thien-tai-cua-einstein-dung-truoc-co-hoi-duoc-giai-ma-sau-70-nam-20250924073427998.htm