13 Weird Habits of Famous Scientists That Fueled Their Genius

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By Trista - November 15, 2025

Throughout history, many renowned scientists have exhibited unconventional habits that significantly influenced their groundbreaking work. These unique routines often played a pivotal role in fostering their creativity and driving their discoveries. By embracing their eccentricities, these individuals unlocked new ways of thinking and problem-solving, leading to some of the most profound advancements in science. In this article, we explore 13 such peculiar habits that contributed to the genius of these remarkable minds.

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1. Einstein’s Daily Walks

13 Weird Habits of Famous Scientists That Fueled Their Genius — Einstein in 1921 by Harris & Ewing studio. Source: Wikipedia

Albert Einstein was known for his daily walks, believing that regular physical activity sparked his imagination and problem-solving abilities. His famous strolls around Princeton frequently led to new breakthroughs, illustrating the cognitive benefits of physical activity. A 2014 Stanford study found that walking increases creative output by up to 60%. (news.stanford.edu)

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2. Nikola Tesla’s Toe-Wiggling Routine

Before bed, Nikola Tesla would curl each toe one hundred times, claiming it stimulated his brain cells. While odd, this might mirror relaxation or mindfulness practices that support restorative sleep and wakeful creativity. Tesla’s toe exercise has become legendary among his many peculiar routines. (dragonattheendoftime.com)

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3. Marie Curie’s Pocketful of Radium

Marie Curie frequently carried test tubes containing radioactive isotopes in her pocket, believing that firsthand experimentation was essential to her research. She stored them in her desk drawer, remarking on the faint light they emitted in the dark. This constant proximity to radioactive materials, without protective measures, led to her death from aplastic anemia in 1934. (en.wikipedia.org)

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4. Isaac Newton’s Sun-Gazing Sessions

Isaac Newton once stared at the sun for extended periods to investigate visual phenomena, temporarily damaging his eyesight. His fearless approach shows the lengths he’d go for answers, contrasting today’s strict safety protocols in research. Newton’s experiments with light and vision remain foundational in optics. (bible.org)

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5. Richard Feynman’s Safe-Cracking Hobby

Richard Feynman, the Nobel Prize-winning physicist, developed an unusual talent for cracking safes at Los Alamos during the Manhattan Project. His playful curiosity about locks and puzzles mirrored his approach to scientific mysteries, blurring the line between work and play to uncover fundamental truths. (nps.gov) For a detailed account of Feynman’s safe-cracking techniques, you can watch the following video: Safe Cracking with Feynman – Numberphile

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6. Thomas Edison’s Micro-Naps

Thomas Edison practiced polyphasic sleeping, taking frequent catnaps instead of extended rest. He held metal balls in his hands so if he dozed too deeply, they’d clatter to the floor and wake him. This allowed him to work longer, though today’s research shows sleep is vital for innovation. (scientificamerican.com)

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7. Barbara McClintock’s Talking to Corn

Geneticist Barbara McClintock famously ‘listened’ to her corn plants, believing an intuitive rapport guided her discoveries in transposons. She spent hours alone in the fields, treating research subjects almost as collaborators. Her sensitivity was key to her Nobel-winning breakthroughs in genetics. (smithsonianmag.com)

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8. Leonardo da Vinci’s Polyphasic Sleep

Leonardo da Vinci is said to have followed a polyphasic sleep schedule, sleeping only for short intervals throughout the day. This maximized his waking hours for creativity and invention. While not proven, the practice reflects da Vinci’s relentless quest for productivity. (independent.co.uk)

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9. Charles Darwin’s Worm Counting

In his later years, Charles Darwin meticulously counted earthworms and measured their castings, estimating that earthworms can move large amounts of soil from the lower strata to the surface and also carry organic matter down into deeper soil layers. (cesantaclara.ucanr.edu) His intense focus on these details led to surprising insights about soil fertility and evolution, foreshadowing modern scientific data collection methods. (en.wikipedia.org)

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10. Alexander Graham Bell’s Breathing Experiments

Alexander Graham Bell, renowned for inventing the telephone, also delved into respiratory health following the tragic death of his son, Edward, from respiratory complications. In response, Bell developed a “vacuum jacket,” an early form of the iron lung, designed to assist breathing by creating negative pressure around the body. This innovation laid the groundwork for future respiratory support devices. (fi.edu)

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11. Paul Erdős’s Stimulant Marathons

Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdős was renowned for his prolific output, publishing over 1,500 mathematical papers. To sustain his intense work schedule, he consumed significant amounts of caffeine and amphetamines. After the death of his mother in 1971, Erdős began taking antidepressants and amphetamines daily, a regimen he maintained until his death at age 83. His friend, mathematician Ron Graham, once bet him $500 that he couldn’t abstain from amphetamines for a month. Erdős accepted the challenge and won the bet, but complained, “You’ve showed me I’m not an addict. But I didn’t get any work done. I’d get up in the morning and stare at a blank piece of paper. I’d have no ideas, just like an ordinary person. You’ve set mathematics back a month.” After collecting his winnings, Erdős promptly resumed his stimulant use. (en.wikipedia.org)

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12. Galileo’s Furniture-Mounted Experiments

Galileo Galilei often conducted experiments using everyday furniture to observe physical laws. For instance, he attached a pendulum to a chandelier in the Pisa Cathedral, noting its consistent swing period regardless of amplitude. This observation led to the discovery of the isochronism of pendulums. Additionally, he constructed inclined planes with bells to study acceleration due to gravity. These innovative setups enabled crucial insights outside traditional laboratories. (sciencedemonstrations.fas.harvard.edu)

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13. Copernicus’s Midnight Observations

Nicolaus Copernicus dedicated countless hours to observing the night sky, often at odd hours, sometimes foregoing sleep to record planetary movements. His meticulous observations led to the heliocentric model of the solar system, shifting centuries of astronomical understanding. (britannica.com)

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Conclusion

The unconventional routines of these scientists underscore the profound impact of embracing individuality on innovation. Their unique approaches, from peculiar habits to unorthodox methods, facilitated groundbreaking discoveries that reshaped our understanding of the world. This highlights that fostering creativity and embracing diverse thinking styles can drive progress across all disciplines. (pbs.org)

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