Wisdom may come with age, but if you want to make scientific history, it pays to be young. Newton invented calculus before he turned 25. Einstein published his special theory of relativity when he was only 26. Next time on To the Best of Our Knowledge, does genius slip away with age? Also, the quintessential genius. Leonardo da Vinci.

Sherwin Nuland is a clinical professor of surgery at Yale and the author of several books, including "How We Die" and a biography of Leonardo da Vinci. He tells Steve Paulson that Leonardo's driving passion was anatomy and that his painting aimed to capture a particular moment in time.

Psychologist Dean Simonton tells Jim Fleming why startling discoveries are often made by young scientists. He says you can jump start your creativity by changing careers. Simonton is the author of "Genius and Creativity" and "Greatness: Who Makes History and Why." Also, Anne Strainchamps visits with Leszek Pawlowicz a computer consultant who doubles as a professional game show contestant. He says he's not brilliant, he just has a memory that retains facts.

Writer Nigel Nicolson caused a sensation with his book about his parents, "Portrait of A Marriage." Now he's back with a biography (for the Penguin Lives series) of Virginia Woolf, who was for a time his mother's lover. Nicolson says Woolf invented the stream-of consciousness literary style, endured several bouts of madness, and died a suicide. And, we hear a rare clip of Virginia Woolf talking about writing.

Distribution dates:

• week of 03/10/2002 - hour 2
• week of 01/28/2001 - hour 2