Beautiful Minds (3) A Little Matter Of Gender - The Mysterious World Of The Sava
Beautiful Minds' approaches the vast scientific field of brain research through the most fascinating "research projects", the Savants. Currently there are around one hundred recognised Savants with genius-like talents worldwide. Savants can multiply 5-digit numbers in their heads, or know 12.000 books by heart, while some can play a melody on the piano after hearing it only once. For all brain researchers the Savants are a fascinating window into the brain. Experts all over the world are now starting to ask themselves: is it in fact a defect that turns a person into a genius?
Prof. Simon Baron-Cohen of Cambridge University is said to be one of the greatest experts in autism research in the world. He argues that there are serious differences - at least on average- between the male and the female brain. The female brain is an 'E-brain', he says, 'E' for empathy, the ability to put oneself in the emotional position of others. On the other hand men are more likely to be 'S-brain', which stands for 'System': motor, computer etc. The dysfunction of the extreme male brain can bring up masterminds and monsters and savants.