Horizon
Season 47 Episode 12 - What Makes a Genius?
Could you have come up with Einstein's theory of relativity? If not - why not? This is what Marcus du Sautoy, professor of mathematics, wants to explore. Marcus readily admits that he is no genius, but wants to know if geniuses are just an extreme version of himself - or whether their brains are fundamentally different. Marcus meets some remarkable individuals - Tommy, an obsessive artist who uses his whole house as his canvas; Derek: blind, autistic, and a pianist with apparently prodigious gifts; Claire who is also blind, but whose brain has learnt to see using sound. Marcus is shown how babies have remarkable abilities which most of us lose as teenagers. He meets a neuroscientist who claims he has evidence of innate ability, a scientist who's identified a gene for learning, and Dr. Paulus, who has discovered how to sharpen the brain... by electrically turbo-charging it.
Episodes in Season 47
Do I Drink Too Much?
60 min
The Secret You
60 min
Fix Me
60 min
Who's Afraid of a Big Black Hole?
60 min
Why Do We Talk?
60 min
How Long is a Piece of String?
60 min
The Secret Life of the Dog
60 min
Why Do Viruses Kill?
60 min
Pill Poppers
60 min
Don't Grow Old
60 min
To Infinity and Beyond
60 min
What Makes a Genius?
60 min
Did Cooking Make Us Human?
60 min
Is Everything We Know About the Universe Wrong?
60 min
