Some lesser-known factoids about history’s most brilliant and extraordinary figures may surprise you. Here are 12 remarkable anecdotes about Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Leonardo da Vinci, Sigmund Freud, Mozart, and Marie Curie that shed light on their unique personalities and quirks.
1. Albert Einstein struggled with speech until he was almost nine years old. His difficulty with communication early on led some of his teachers to believe that he was mentally challenged.
2. Marilyn Monroe, the iconic actress and sex symbol, maintained a list of men she wanted to sleep with for pleasure. Albert Einstein, no less, was on that list.
3. Leonardo da Vinci, the renowned artist and inventor, was left-handed and wrote in Mirror script, a style of writing that could only be read by holding the pages up to a mirror.
4. Sigmund Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, battled a cocaine addiction for much of his life.
5. Mozart, the child prodigy who began composing music at the age of five, was performing for royalty by the time he was six and had already written his first symphony.
6. Marie Curie, the trailblazing physicist and chemist who was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, kept a notebook containing her research notes and observations that was so radioactive it can only be handled with protective gear to this day.
7. Henry Ford, the founder of the Ford Motor Company, couldn’t pass a driving test until the age of 44 because he didn’t think they were necessary for experienced drivers.
8. Despite his aversion to learning, Albert Einstein liked to recite Shakespearean sonnets in his spare time, and his favorite was Sonnet 18, better known as “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”
9. Nikola Tesla, the famous inventor and scientist who contributed greatly to the development of alternating current (AC) electricity, was known for his strange habits, such as wearing a thick layer of linen pants to sleep every night.
10. Benjamin Franklin pioneered the use of bifocals, the type of glasses with two lenses, to correct his farsightedness and nearsightedness at the same time.
11. Maya Angelou, the acclaimed author, poet, and civil rights activist, returned to school at the age of 66 to earn her first college degree.
12. William Shakespeare, the celebrated playwright and poet, wrote his last play, The Tempest, when he was almost 70 years old. He died exactly one year after its completion.
These fascinating facts reveal that these historical figures were multifaceted, often possessing quirks and great talents that may have gone unnoticed or undocumented otherwise. Understanding their lives outside of their careers and accomplishments deepens our appreciation and understanding of their legacies.
