The Founder of Neuroscience Wanted to Be an Artist, Not a Doctor

Santiago Ramón y Cajal’s art made his scientific discoveries legendary

Drawings of Purkinje cells in a pigeon by Ramón y Cajal in 1899 — Public Domain

Santiago Ramón y Cajal is the most famous neuroscientist in human history. When I was studying for my neuroscience major in my undergrad, Cajal had his paintings on every single textbook. Anyone who has studied neuroscience is familiar…