how to be a genius a

(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.






















b
b
l
l
a
a

n
n
k
k


p
p
a
a
g
g
e
e


H
ow
t
o
b
e a
G
ENI
US
Written b
y
J
ohn Woo

d
war
d
Co
n
su
ltant
s
Dr. D
a
vi
d
H
a
r
d
m
an
and Phil Chambers
I
llustrated b
y
S
erge Seidlitz
and Andy Smith
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
6 Your amazing brain
MEET YOUR BRAIN
10 Mapping the brai
n

12 Left brain, right brain
14 Taking side
s
1
6
N
e
rv
es

a
n
d
n
eu
r
o
n
s
18 Brain waves
20
What is a genius
?
CONTENTS
COME TO YOUR SENSES
24 Brain and eyes
2
6 Tricky pictures
28
How you se

e
3
0 Simple illusion
s
3
2 Impossible illusion
s
3
4 How you hea
r
3
6 Sounds like?
3
8 Wolfgang Amadeus Mozar
t
t
4
0
T
as
t
e

a
n
d

s
m
e

ll
4
2

S
ensitive sense
s
44 How you feel and touc
h
46 Touch and tell
46

T
ouc
h
an
d

t
e
l
e
min
d
48 Tricking th
e
Magic trick
s
50
2

Sensing your bod
y
5
2
4 Body illusion
s
5
6 Intuition
io
5
H
OW MEMORY WORK
S
6
0 How you think
62
What is memory
?
6
4 Improve your memory
6
6 Do you remember
?
6
8 Payin
g
attention
70 Making associations
72 Al
be

rt Ein
s
t
e
in
PROBLEM

SOLVING
76

H
ow you
l
earn
7
8 Masterin
g
mazes
80
Puzzling patterns
82 Intelli
g
ence types
84 George Washington Carv
e
er
8
6 Logic
88 Illogical thinking
90

Brainteasers
92 Thinkin
g
inside the box
94 Mathematical thinking
9
6
Think
o
f
a
n
u
m
be
r
98 The magic of math
100 Spatial awareness
a
renes
s
102 Seeing in 2-
D
104 Thinking in 3-
D
106 Invention
108 Wernher v
o
o
n Brau

n
4
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
5
A WAY WITH WORDS
11
2
Learning to spea
k
114 Having a word
116 Using languag
e
118 Words alou
d
1
20
Reading and writin
g
122 Jean Franςois Champollio
n
THE CREATIVE MIND
126 What is creativity
?
1
28
Are you a creative spark
?
1
3
0 Boost your creativit

y
1
3
2 Creative exercises
1
3
4 Leonardo da Vinc
i
Y
OUR BRAIN AND YOU
1
38 Sense of self
1
4
0
Personality types
1
4
2
What about you
?
1
44 What makes you tick?
1
46 Mary Anning
1
48 The unconscious
1
50 Dreams
1

52 Emotions
1
54 Mahatma
G
andh
i
1
56 Fear
1
58 Reading emotions
1
6
0
Body talk
16
2
Good

a
n
d

bad
h
ab
it
s
1
64 Winning and losin
g

THE

EVOLVING

BRAIN
1
6
8
How we got our brains
1
7
0

C
h
a
rl
es
D
a
rwin
1
72 How the brain grows
1
74 Brain sur
g
ery
1
76 Animal intelligence
1

7
8
Train your
p
et
180

Ca
n m
ac
hin
es
think?
182
Program your friend
1
84 Glossar
y
1
86 Answers
1
9
0
In
de
x
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
T
he bra
i

n
i
s the most aston
i
sh
i
ng part
of your body. Its billions of cells control
everythin
g
you think and do, includin
g

your actions, senses, emotions,
memory, and language. The more
you use it, the better it works.
T
his book is all about how to
get your brain cells buzzing and,
maybe, become a genius.
Emotions
Fear, anger, joy, love,
and other emotions might
seem like automatic mental
responses, but we can use
our brains to control our
emotions if we want.
Do you remember?
you remembe
Put your brain’s memory skills

your brain’s memory sk
to the test. Study the picture
e test. Study the picture
shown inside this boy’s busy
n inside this boy’s
head for 45 seconds, then cover
r 45 seconds, then
it up and try to answer the
ry to answer the
following questions. No peeking!following questions. No peeking!
1.
Where does he like to sing?
W
2
.
Name three sports that we
ame
see the boy doing.
boy do
3
.
One picture shows us inside
e show
his body. Which part do we see?
rt do we see?
4
.
What color is the terrifying
What color is the terrifyi
monster he is scared of?

e is scared of?
5.
Who is the love of his life?
s the love of his lif
6.
6.
What food does the boy
What food does the boy
really, really hate?
7
.
How many candles are
andles are
there on the birthday cake?
on the birthday cak
8.
8
Name three different
Name three different
a
nimals that we see
.
9
.
What is the delicious smell
ou
that we see the boy sniff?
boy s
10
.

What injury makes
injury m
him cry?
him cry?
6
Automatic
activity
Your brain is always active,
even when you are asleep.
It also keeps you alive by
controlling your heartbeat,
temperature, breathing,
and digestion.
Perception
All of your senses are
wired into your brain,
which takes in the signals
they send and allows you
to see, hear, smell, taste,
and feel the world.
C
h
ec
k th
e

p
uzzle answers
on pa
g

e 1
8
6
.
C
B
F
A
E
D
Perfect pai
r
This puzzle tests your
spatial awareness—your
s
ense of space. Which two
p
ieces on the far right will
fi
t together to create this
h
exagon shape?
H
ow did you do? Turn
to page 186 to find out.
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
A human brain

A
h

u
m
a
n
b
r
a
ra
i
n
is the most complex
i
s
t
h
e
m
o
s
t
c
o
m
p
l
ex
ex
structure on Earth.
s
tr

tru
ru
c
t
ct
u
re
re
o
n
E
Ea
rt
rt
rt
h
.
Thinking
Your brain is always solving
problems by connecting
different ideas—even when
they are not part of your own
experience. Only humans
can do this.
Memory
Every event or fact that
grabs your attention may be
stored in your memory—an
amazingly efficient library of
information that never runs

out of space.
Language
Your brain gives you the
ability to communicate and
understand complex ideas
using speech. You can also
learn by reading words that
were written long ago.
7
F
eel lost
?
L
i
f
e is
f
ull o
f
puzzlin
g
problems—such as how
to get to the middle of
t
his trick
y
maze. It’s
y
our
a-maze-ing brain that

helps you find the
a
n
s
w
e
r
s.
Movement
Your brain triggers and
organizes your movements,
so your actions are smooth
and efficient. Most of this
happens without you
thinking about it.
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
Galen of Pergamun
A Greek surgeon named Galen of
Pergamun was one of the first people
to suspect that the brain was an
important organ and that it controlled
memories and emotions. Galen lived
between 129 and 200
CE
, in what is
now Turkey, where he treated the
gory injuries of gladiators.
l

amusTha
l
y
s
i
gnals
m
us relays sensor
y
The thala
m
rebrum
ur body to your ce
from yo
from

your

body

to

your

cerebrum
,
where they are decoded and analyzed.
P
ituitar
y

g
la
n
nd
Thi
s
r
e
l
eases

c
h
e
mi
ca
l
s

ca
ll
e
ed

hormones into your blood. Th
e
e
y
control many functions, includi

n
n
g
g
rowt
h
an
d

b
o
d
y
d
eve
l
opment
.
Your br
a
a
in is the most complex or
g
an in
y
y
our
b
b
o

o
d
d
y
y
—
a
a
a
a

s
s
p
p
o
o
n
n
g
g
y
y

p
p
i
i
n
n

k
k

m
m
a
a
s
s
s
s

m
m
a
a
d
d
e
e

u
u
p
p

o
o
f
f

b
b
i
i
llions
o
f
micr
o
o
scopic nerve cells linked togeth
e
e
r in an
electro
n
n
ic network. Each part has its ow
n
n

j
ob,
but it is the bi
gg
est part, the cerebrum,
t
t
hat is

respon
s
s
ible
f
or your thou
g
hts and actions.
Fis
h
Bird
H
uman
O
ri
g
in of genius
C
om
p
ared to other animals,
t
t
he human brain
h
as a much bigger cerebrum (shown in orange
a
bove). This is what makes u
s
s

intelli
g
ent, because
w
e use the cerebrum for con
s
s
cious thought.
1
0
Brain stem
Connected to the spinal cord,
the brain stem links the rest
of the body to the brain and
c
ontrols heartbeat and breath
i
ng.
Men
Me
Me
n
inging
eses
ss
Th
h

h
h

e
ese
ese
e

lay
lay
lay
ers
ers
cu
cu
shi
on
n
the
th

b
bra
br
in
aga
a
aga
ag
ag
a
a
inst s

hoc
k.
a
mu
s
y
p
othal
a
Hy
of your brain
i
s is the
p
art
Thi
Thi
s
leep, hunger,
a
t regulates
s
th
a
e
rature
.
d body tem
pe
a

n
Your b
brain is 77 percent water.
Yo
rain is 77 percent water.
Your
rain is 77 percent wat
u
in is 77 percent water
b
b
Yo
p
b
b
a
a
u
t
t
u
77 percent wat
e
77 percent water
r
r
e
r
ii
Yo

Yo
u
r
b
b
b
b
ra
ra
i
n
i
s
7
7
p
e
r
erc
rc
e
n
t
w
wa
t
er
er
r.
B

(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
C
ere
b
e
ll
um
This complex folde
d
This

com
pl
ex

folded

s
tructure helps control
ba
la
nce an
d
movement
.
to 2 pints (1 litre) of
Up t
p
Up
to 2 pints (1 litre) of

U
o2
p
ints (1 litre) o
Up
to 2 pints (1 litre
U
ints (1 litre) of
U
p
Up
to
t
to
2
p
i
n
t
s
ts
(
1
l
i
t
r
tr
e
re

)
e)
o
f
d ows through your
blood
ows through your
l
ows through yo
oo
d ows through you
d
ws through you
b
ows through yo
bloo
d
d
g
b
dw
s
th
r
u
h
u
r
b
l

o
o
d
d

o
w
s
ws
t
h
ro
r
o
u
g
h
y
o
u
r
rain every minute.
br
rain every minute.
r
rain every minute
b
ane
v
ery m nu

t
e
r
i
i
b
r
a
r
ra
i
n
e
ve
ver
ery
ry
m
i
n
u
t
e.
e.
ain
Th t b
Th
e ou
t
er

b
r
T
l
y
T
he cerebrum is heavi
l
T
ase olded in order to incre
f
w
hich he total surface area,
w
t
lls. It
s
packed with brain ce
is
h
e left
s
divided into halves
,
t
h
is
and nd right hemispheres,a
b
es

a
ch consists o
f
four lo
b
e
a
i
ons.
a
t have different funct
i
th
a
Blood supply
The brain needs a constant supply
of oxygen to fuel its activities.
This is delivered in the blood via
the body’s circulatory system of
arteries, veins, and capillaries.
Around one fifth of the body’s
entire quota of oxygenated
blood is reserved for the brain.
11
Cor
or
pus
s
s
ca

c
c
a
llo
ll
sum
sum

A b
b
b
b
A
a
a
a
and
and

of
of
ner
er
er
er
v
ve
v
e
fibefibe

rs rs
thatha
t l
t l
ink
in
n
nk
in
th
th
e
e
two
two
si
si
des
des
of
of
th
th
e ce c
ereere
e
re
re
b
brubru

b
m
m
Skull Forms a
p
rotective
p
casin
g
around the brai
n
S
S
S
Sub
b
ara
ara
ra
a
chn
c
c
oid
sp
sp
ace
ce
Thi
s i

i
i
s fi
s
s
lle
le
d w
d w
w
ith
ith
ith

sho
sho
o
ck-abs
orb
or
ing
ing
flu
flu
id.
id.
S
pi
nal
al

c
co
co
rd
rd
d
r
d
d
rd
d

Frontal lob
e
Vital to
hh li
tho
ugh
t,
per
sonal
li
ty,
speech, and emotion
Temporal lob
e
Mostly
c
oncerne
d

d
with the
recognitio
n
n
of sound
tal lob
e
Par
i
e Processes
m
ation
f
rom the senses
,
in
f
or
m
c
ially
f
rom the skin, espe
c
les, and
j
ointsmusc
t
al lobe

O
ccipi
t
Receives nerve
s
from the eyes andsignal
s
r
ets visual informationinterp
r
Cerebru
m
T
he biggest part of the brain
c
ontrols all our conscious actions
a
nd thou
g
hts, analyzes sensory
d
ata, and stores memories
.
lum
C
erebel
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
LEFT BRAIN SKILLS
IN
The left side of your brain is

de
responsible for the more logical,
b
rational aspects of your thinking,
a
as well as your verbal skills.
s y
12
The cerebrum is divided into two halves, connected by a
o two halve
m
bridge of nerve fibers. For some functions, each half is wired
ns, each
rve
to the opposite side of the body, but other skills and thought
and
side of
processes are controlled by only one half of the brain.
n.
n
d by only one
a
l
co
rt
e
xL
e
ft vi
su

a
a
ta fromProcesses d
a
ual fiel
d
right vis
This scan shows brain
activity (red areas) in
the right hemisphere.
A trained musician uses
the left hemisphere more.
Rational thou
g
h
t
Thinking and reacting in a rational
acting in a rational
way appears to be mostly a left-brain
appears to be mostly a left-
ears to be
to
activity. It allows you to analyze a
ze a
activ
problem to find an answer.
L
an
g
ua

ge
e
Your ability to express yourself
Yo
i
n words is usuall
y
controlled
by the
f
rontal lobe o
f
the le
f
t
cerebral hemisphere.
ce
Mathematical skills
skills
them
Studies show that the left side of the
es show that
the left side of the
brain is much better at dealing with
b
numbers than the right side, and it is
res
p
onsible for mathematical skills.
ientific thought

t
Sc
i
cal scientific thinking is the
ific thinking is the
e
Lo
g
i
of the left side of the brain,
of the le
ft s
job o
job o
ough most science also
science also
a
lth
o
v
es being creative.
i
nvol
v
Writing skills
Like spoken language, writing skills
age, writing ski
that involve organizing ideas and
that involve o
expressing them in words are largely

controlled by the left hemisphere.
Two minds?
Many mental activities involve both
sides of the brain, but the side that is
most involved may vary. These two
scans show the brain activity of two
people while listening to music. The
one on the left is using their right
hemisphere much more, indicating
a more intuitive approach, while the
other person may be more analytical.
Lef
eft visual fiel
d
Rig
ght side of each
eye sees the left
visual field
LEFT
EFT
LEFT
BRA
Left o
p
p
tic tract
Ca
rri
es

d
da
t
a
fr
o
m
ri
g
ht vi
s
s
ual
fi
eld
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
1
3
O
ptic nerve
Se
n
ds
vi
s
ua
l
si
gnals to bra
in

field
Right visual
fie
Lef
t s
ide
ch
of
each
ht
eye
sees the right
vis
i
i
ual field
trac
t
R
i
ght opt
i
c
a
from
C
arries dat
a
fi
eldle

f
t visual
fi
Right-handed world
The left brain controls the right
hand, and since most people are
right-handed, this suggests
that the left brain is usually
dominant. So do left-handers
use their right-brain skills
more? There is no proof of this,
and many left-handers have no
trouble using language and logic.
Imaginatio
aginatio
n
Your creative imagination is mostly
creative imag
y
directed by the right hemisphere
dir
,
a
lthou
g
h expressin
g
that ima
g
inatio

n
n

involves left-brain skills.
s
S
patial skill
s
s
Your ability to visualize and
work w
i
th three-d
i
mens
i
onal
shapes
i
s strongly l
i
nked to
the right side of your brain.
th
Insight
h
Those moments of insight when
mom
you connect two very different
nne

ideas probably come from the
i
ably come fr
right hal
f
o
f
your brain
.
t
Ar
Ar
s
ual art is related to spatial skills,Vi
s
n
d the right side of your brain isa
n
robably more active when you are
robably more active when you are
pr
pr
rawing, painting, or looking at art.
d
r
M
usi
c
c
c

Like visual art, music involves a lo
olves
t
of right-brain activity—but trained
aine
d

musicians also use their left brains
ns
s

to master musical theory.
ry.
y.
ry.
y
.
ossed wire
s
Cro
d wi
os
side of each eye is
The left s
side o
he le
he left side of
y
our
connected to t

cted to
nn
e
dat
a
a
from the right
brain, but it picks up
ut it p
but
fi
eld. Each side of the
side of your head—the right visual fi
—the
—th
h
er side of the head.
brain processes im
ag
es from the oth
es i
s im
im
s
of the opposite hand.
Each side also controls the muscles
als
so
o
rtex

R
i
g
ht
h
h
visual c
o
a

P
r
o
ces
ses

da
t
a
f
rom left
v
isual field
RIGHT
RI
IG
BRAIN
ILLS
RI
IGHT BRAIN SKI

S
rain seems to be the focus of
Th
e
e right side
o
o
f your b
ou
s
ughts and emotional, intuitive
yo
u
ur more crea
ti
t
ve thou
t
a
portant for spatial awareness.
re
s
sponses. It is also im
o
nt
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
M
ost people are either left- or right-handed,
but did you know that you can also have a
d

ominant foot and a preferred eye? In both
physical and mental tasks, the le
f
t and right
s
ides o
f
your brain are
f
ar
f
rom equal, and it
is ver
y
rare
f
or someone to be able to use both
hands or
f
eet equally well. Try the
f
ollowing
tests to find which side you are on
tests

to

find

which

side

you

are

on.
1
4
TAKING

S
I
DE
S
Best foot forwar
d
The easiest way o
f

fi
nding which
of
y
our feet is dominant is to ki
c
c
k
a soccer

b
a
ll
,
b
ut you usua
ll
y t
a
ak
e
the first step of a fli
g
ht of stair
s
s
with your stron
g
er
f
oot, too. Yo
u
u
r
preferred foot may not be on
the same s
i
de as
y
our dom

i
na
n
n
t
hand—
y
ou can be left-footed a
n
n
d
y
r
ig
ht-handed or v
i
ce versa.
ng things with the
Try doing thi
ng things with the
th
h
Try doing thi
Tr
Tr
y
ry
do
do
i

oin
ng
ing
ng
n
g
th
th
thi
th
i
hin
i
ing
ngs
gs
wit
wit
ith
th
th
the
he
pposite hand to normal, such as
opposite
h
pposite hand to normal, such as
s
posite h
po

posite
os
pposite
i
t
pposite h
pp
p
p
p
ppo
p
opposite
op
p
opp
pp
p
po
pos
pos
osi
osi
sit
i
t
ite
ite
te
ha

h
han
and
nd
to
to
to
no
nor
orm
rma
mal
al,
l,
su
suc
uch
ch
as
as
switching the hand that you hold
sw
swit
wit
itc
tch
chi
hin
ing
ng

th
the
he
ha
han
and
nd
th
tha
hat
at
tyo
you
ou
ho
hol
old
ld
your fork with or putting your
yo
you
our
ur
for
for
ork
rk
wit
wit
ith

th
or
or p
rpu
put
utt
tti
tt
tin
ting
ng
yo
you
our
ur
watch on the other arm. This forces
watch on the other arm. This forces
wa
wat
atc
tch
ch
on
on
th
the
he
ot
oth
the

her
er
er
ar
arm
rm
m.
Th
Thi
his
his
for
for
orc
rce
ces
es
es
your brain to learn new ways
yo
you
our
ur
br
bra
rai
ain
in
to
to

to
le
lea
ear
arn
rn
ne
new
ew
ew
wa
way
ays
ys
of doing things and creates
of doing things and creates
of
of d
fdo
doi
oin
ing
ng
th
thi
hin
ing
ngs
gs
an

and
nd
cr
cre
rea
eat
ate
tes
es
es
more connections between
mo
mor
ore
re
co
con
onn
nne
nec
ect
cti
ct
tio
tion
ons
ns
be
bet
etw

twe
wee
een
en
the two sides of your brain.
th
the
he
tw
two
wo
si
sid
ide
des
es
es
of
of y
fyo
you
our
ur
br
bra
rai
ain
in
n.
E

y
e-mot
i
o
n
L
ook straight at the nose o
f
the girl in each o
f
t
hese p
i
ctures. In wh
i
ch one do you th
i
nk she looks
happier
?
Most people find that she looks happier in
t
he bottom
i
ma
g
e, wh
i
ch shows her sm
i

l
i
n
g
on the
le
f
t side o
f
the picture. This is because in
f
ormation
f
rom your left visual field gets processed in your
brain’s right hemisphere, which is also dominant
f
or interpreting emotions.
B
RAIN G
A
M
E
S
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
1
5
H
an
dy

t
es
t
Amb
i
dexter
i
ty
i
s the ab
i
l
i
ty to use both hands equally well. To
see i
f
you are ambidextrous try the exercise below. Take a pencil
in your ri
g
ht hand and ask a friend to time you for 15 seconds.
Startin
g
top ri
g
ht, work your way alon
g
the line, puttin
g
as many
dots as

y
ou can
i
n the wh
i
te c
i
rcles. Then do the same on the
other side with your le
f
t hand and compare the results.
Y
ou will get the farthest
along the line with your
d
ominant hand, but you may
s
urprise yourself by just how
well you did with your
weaker hand. If you found
t
hat you got just as far
w
ith each hand, you are
probably ambidextrous.
Having one hand as strong as the other
H
a
vi
vi

n
g
o
n
e
h
a
n
d
a
s
s
tr
tro
ro
n
g
a
s
t
h
e
o
t
h
er
er
can give you an advantage in some
c
a

n
g
i
ve
ve
y
o
u
a
n
a
d
va
va
n
t
ag
ag
e
i
n
s
o
m
e
sports. In baseball, for example, an
s
p
o
rt

rts
rt
ts
.
I
n
b
a
s
eb
eb
a
l
l
,
fo
fo
r
ex
ex
a
m
p
l
e,
e,
a
n
ambidextrous hitter can switch hands
a

m
b
i
d
ex
ext
xtr
tro
ro
u
s
h
i
tt
tt
tt
er
er
c
a
n
s
w
i
t
c
h
h
a
n

ds
ds
to strike the ball from the best side.
to
to
s
tr
tri
ri
k
e
t
h
e
b
a
l
l
fr
fro
fr
ro
m
t
h
e
b
es
es
es

t
s
i
d
e.
e.
R
i
ght hand
star
t
L
eft hand
s
tart
E
E
ee yo
u
y
e s
e
r which is your dominant T
o
o
discov
e
ye, hold up your index
fi
nger e

t
o eye level and look past it
t
nto the distance. Then close i
a
ch eye, one at a time. You e
a
ill see that with your weaker w
y
e, your finger will appear e
y
u
mp, whereas with your to j
u
ger eye, it will stay in place.
s
tron
t
ronger eye
fi
gures out the
Y
our s
t
n
o
f
things, while the weaker positio
n
p

s with depth perception. eye hel
p
The le
f
t side o
f
your brain assigns simple shapes
to common objects—for example, an almond shape for
an eye. So i
f
you draw a
f
ace the right way up, you
p
robabl
y
draw the features based on what
y
ou think the
y

look l
i
ke rather than what
y
ou see. When
y
ou look
a
t a face upside down, however, the ri

g
ht side of your
brain works harder to understand the unfamiliar ima
g
e
and
y
ou draw the sha
p
es and lines
y
ou actuall
y
see.
T
rick your brai
n
This exercise reveals how your brain sometimes tricks you
into taking shortcuts. First, draw this upside-down picture o
f

a
face. Then turn the face the right way up and draw it again.
W
hen you compare the two pictures, you may be surprised
to find that the upside-down version is the most accurate.
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.

Broad

view
Br
oa
d
vi
ew
Some geniuses do one thing extremely well,
but others excel at many things. Thomas
Jefferson—the main author of the U.S.
D
eclaration of Independence in 1776—was
a ph
i
losopher, archaeolo
gi
st, arch
i
tect, and
i
nventor, as well as a
p
ol
i
t
i
c

i
an who became
p
resident of the United
S
tates.
Determination
Determination
Born in Poland in 1867
,
Marie Curie was
determined to be a scientist, even thou
g
h
suc
h
a

ca
r
ee
r w
as
n
o
t
co
n
s
i

de
r
ed

su
it
ab
l
e
f
or a woman in the 1800s. She fou
g
ht poverty
a
nd pre
j
udice to win two Nobel Prizes for
h
er p
i
oneer
i
n
g
work on rad
i
oact
i
v
i

ty
.
Child

prodigy
Child prodigy
S
ome people just seem to be born geniuses.
Garry Kasparov was only 1
3
when he won the
Russian junior chess championship in 1
9
76,
an
d

h
e
b
ecame t
h
e youn
g
est-ever wor
ld

c
hampion in 1
98

5. He had a natural talent,
but he worked hard to make the most of it
.
Encouragement
A
merican sis
t
t
e
r
r
s Venus and Serena
Williams are am
mong

the

greatest

of

all

a
m
mo
ng
the
g
re

at
es
tof
a
ll
tennis players.
T
T
hey showed amazin
g

talent from a young age, but they owe a
lot of their success to their parents,
h
i
who coached and encouraged them to
build on their skills
.
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.
(c) 2011 Dorling Kindersley. All Rights Reserved.