Genius In Action

I went to a conference which was totally about my specialization, and one Ph.D student gave his presentation, sounding very nervous. I could barely follow his talk, and thought I must have forgotten a lot of things, it seemed beyond my knowledge. 

At the any questions stage, someone stood up, and suggested one part was wrong, with an alternative explanation, which seemed convincing - lots of people nodding, as he said what would have happened if the student speaker had been right. 

Then instantly a second person stood up and said the first critic was right about the error, but his explanation was wrong, and explained why it was wrong and gave a second alternative explanation. Wow, criticizing an explanation and alternative explanation on a complex subject he had just heard 10 seconds ago. Lots of people nodding and ooing "oh yes." 

Then a third person stood up, gave his name and was immediately recognized as a Nobel prize winner, (who just happened to be in town visiting an friend), but not a specialist in the topics of the conference. He told the original presenter what their error was, then told the first critic what was really wrong with his alternative explanation, told the second critic that he was wrong in each alternative he had offered (including his wrong explanation of what was wrong) and then explained what was really really going on.

Silence. Every one sat going through what this not a specialist had said about everything, and slowly we all started nodding in agreement. We were all wiped out by how he could correct things outside of his own specialism and also how we all took so long to work out he was right. Genius is truly impressive when it swings into action.

From here (with minor spelling and punctuation edits and paragraph breaks added).