The June 2020 issue of Physics Today contained an excellent article entitled “Majorana qubits for topological quantum computing” (page 44) by Ramón Aguado and Leo Kouwenhoven. It opened with a description of Ettore Majorana attributed to Enrico Fermi: “There are various categories of scientists, people of a secondary or tertiary standing, who do their best but do not go very far. There are also those of high standing, who come to discoveries of great importance, fundamental for the development of science. But then there are geniuses like Galileo and Newton. Well, Ettore was one of them.”
Majorana was clearly an influential physicist who did exceptional work. However, that quote illustrates a pervasive and harmful belief, widely held among physicists, of the lone genius. According to the myth, the greatest advancements in physics are done by uniquely brilliant individuals working alone. That idea minimizes the many important discoveries made by numerous scientists in collaboration. It also devalues the careers of those who do solid and influential work over many decades but may never make “discoveries of great importance, fundamental for the development of science.” The myth’s implied corollary—that if you cannot do great work alone, there is no place for you in physics—contradicts the history of the field.
The lone-genius myth is harmful for everyone, but it is especially damaging for women, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and members of other minority groups. They frequently face impostor syndrome, negative cultural factors, the implicit biases of colleagues and institutions, and a climate that minimizes collaboration and inclusion. Perpetuating the myth only increases those feelings and further harms diversity and inclusion efforts in physics.
The lone-genius myth is rarely true. Although instances exist of scientists making breakthroughs while working alone, they are not common. The majority of scientists work in teams ranging from a few people to large collaborations spanning multiple continents. Even scientists who publish groundbreaking single-author papers usually acknowledge colleagues with whom they discussed their ideas. Now more than ever, science is a team effort that requires many people and multiple perspectives. I strongly encourage science writers to describe the contributions of outstanding scientists like Ettore Majorana without subscribing to the myth of the lone genius.
