Do you have to be nuts to be a genius?
Feb/March 2008
Cosmos: Had Sir Isaac Newton been alive today he would have been a Harry Potter fan. He was fascinated by alchemy and the existence of a philosopher’s stone that could turn any metal into gold. Despite being grounded in the pure sciences and best known for devising the law of gravitation, Newton devoted a great deal of his time to alchemy and theology. His genius is unquestionable and his influence vast, but at school he was initially a poor student. He was introverted, insecure, depressive and as an adult became embroiled in vicious quarrels with several of his scientific peers. Could Newton have had a mental illness, and could this have contributed to his genius?
