Why do we not have current day Einsteins?

Answer 1

we still have plenty of geniuses: the poincaré conjecture and fermat's last theorem have both been solved in the last ten years after seeming unbreakable for a century or more.

einstein wasn't just a genius, he had the luck to be in the right place at the right time. his general and specific theories of relativity re-drew the truths of the newtonian universe, giving us a different way to understand the world. this had not happened in physics for nearly two hundred years.

but it wasn't just einstein's genius, he also needed the good fortune to be born at a moment in history when his genius was most needed. with the methods and knowledge of 1840 einstein would probably have never been able to go as far as he did.

the number of scientists who have actually re-defined their subject is tiny. probably since the enlightenment there have been only kepler, newton, einstein himself, and darwin (the greatest of them all).

but scientists who only expose the problems are also infinitely precious, and they would include less famous names like mendel, heisenberg, goedel, and noam chomsky. chomsky is still alive - though his intelligence has stopped him from ever becoming well known in america.

Answer 2

We do - that Russian mathematician who just turned down the big prize. And Stephen Hawking.

Answer 3

we do..i think we couldve had more if they woulda "breed" einstein or had ppl buy his sperm--sounds weird but we discussed this in psychology today when studying genetics.

Answer 4

Steven hawkins is one.. ;P well, sorta

Answer 5

I'd say we do....Bill Gates.

Answer 6

we do.

just different marketing?