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The Brilliant Minds of History: 15 Famous People with High IQs

Intelligence is the kind of thing that appears like it would be hard to gauge. However, it hasn’t prevented us from being attracted by IQ tests, which aim to put a number on how brilliant we are, and, who has the highest IQ in the world.

Although there is no “standard” intelligence quotient (IQ) test, the scores on the different forms tend to be comparable, with 100 being an “average” IQ and anything over 140 being considered genius territory. There are a few tests that are most often used today, like the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale, Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, and Peabody Individual Achievement Test, despite the fact that new tests and modifications of old tests have come and gone over the years.

In this article we give you The Brilliant Minds of History: 15 Famous People with High IQs, including famous names like Albert Einstein, William Shakespeare, Benjamin Natenyahu, Garry Kasparov among. Remember the list does not follow any particular order.

The Brilliant Minds of History: 15 Famous People with High IQs

1. Albert Einstein

Photograph of Albert Einstein. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

IQ test experts estimated Albert Einstein’s IQ to be between 160 and 180, which is unusually high. Some claim that his IQ was slightly above 200, orbiting around 205. The most common estimate range is between 160 and 180, though.

Avogadro’s Number, Quantum Theory of Light, General and Special Theories of Relativity, The Photoelectric Effect, Wave-Particle Duality, Brownian Motion, The Relationship Between Mass and Energy, Bose-Einstein Condensate, and many other discoveries and contributions of Einstein are just a few.

2. Isaac Newton

Sir Isaac Newton. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Another example of a scientist who was decades ahead of his time is Sir Isaac Newton, who was a physicist. Though the thinker of the 17th century is most remembered for his universal laws of gravity, he was also a mathematician, astronomer, and writer. Depending on the tests performed, it is thought that his IQ would lie between 190 and 200.

Over the course of his career, Sir Isaac Newton made a tremendous contribution to science. He developed calculus and made optics much more understandable. His creation of a general rule of gravity and his laws of motion, however, were his most important contributions to the study of forces.

3. Leonardo da Vinci

It is presently believed that Leonardo da Vinci would have had an IQ between 180 and 220 even though there were no IQ tests available during his day. The following makes sense when you think about it: With skills ranging from art and physics to music and architecture, Da Vinci not only worked in a multitude of subjects but excelled at them. In fact, he was so far ahead of his time that several of his inventions—including the submarine, flying machines, and telescope—did not come to pass for many years after his death.

Over the course of his career, he made a tremendous contribution to science. He developed calculus and made optics much more understandable. His creation of a general rule of gravity and his laws of motion, however, were his most important contributions to the study of forces.

4. Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Although it is unknown if Stephen Hawking ever took an IQ test, enhancingbrain.com claims that he had an estimated IQ of 160, the same as Albert Einstein. 

It is worth noting that modern physics was revolutionized by Hawking’s theories on the universe’s nature and beginnings, and his best-selling books made the subject readily available to millions of readers worldwide. Many believe that because of Hawking’s cosmic effect, the way the universe is understood globally has altered.

5. Nikola Tesla

Nikola Tesla, the Serbian-American inventor and Thomas Edison’s bitter competitor, reputedly had an IQ that ranged from 160 to 310, depending on the test. Tesla is most recognized for building the first alternating current (AC) motor and for developing AC generation and transmission technology, even though he was involved in the conception and development of a wide range of novel technologies. Tesla’s mental state worsened in the last years of his life, and he passed away by himself in the New York hotel room where he had been staying.

Numerous technologies that have a significant impact on our everyday lives were developed, anticipated, or invented by Tesla, including the remote control, neon and fluorescent lighting, wireless transmission, computers, cellphones, laser beams, x-rays, robots, and, of course, alternating current.

Unfortunately, his mental state worsened in the last years of his life, and he passed away quietly in the New York hotel room where he had been staying. 

6. Marie Curie

Marie Curie, circa 1920s. , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Not only was Marie Curie the first woman to win the Nobel Prize twice, but she was also the first. She devoted the most of her time to studying radioactivity, and her results had an impact on the development of surgical X-rays. Curie used her scientific knowledge to the front lines of World War I as the head of the radiological section for the international Red Cross. Her IQ was said to be between 180 and 200.

She is also renowned for discovering radium and polonium, as well as for making a significant contribution to the development of cancer therapies.

7. William Shakespeare

We’ll introduce William Shakespeare even though it’s not necessary. You already know that he was an English poet, playwright, and actor. Throughout his career, he produced a vast array of writings, including 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two narrative poems, and many more. The Bard’s estimated IQ was 210, which may come as a shock to you. When you stop to think about it, it’s actually not that shocking.

Shakespeare altered English theater by raising the bar for what might be done with a story and language, producing some of the most revered plays in Western history (Macbeth, Hamlet, and King Lear are considered among the best plays ever written).

8. Philip Emeagwali

Philip Emeagwali. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Philip Emeagwali dropped out of school in 1967 at the age of 13 to fight in the Nigerian-Biafran conflict. He subsequently finished his high school equivalency, earned his undergraduate math degree from Oregon State University, and went on to get three graduate degrees in math, marine engineering, and environmental engineering.

His work helped pave the path for the creation of the Internet. He was a computer scientist who is credited with creating the microprocessor technology that dramatically sped up computers. According to reports, he has an IQ of 190.

To celebrate his achievements, the Gordon Bell supercomputing prize was awarded to Philip Emeagwali in 1989 for his use of networked computers to analyze oil field reserves. The prize for winning was $1,000. 

9. Ophelia Morgan

Although Ophelia Morgan’s parents were aware of her academic brilliance, it wasn’t until she started preschool that they really appreciated how far ahead of other kids her age she was. According to the Stanford-Binet exam scores, Ophelia received a score of 171. According to Ophelia’s parents, who spoke to the BBC, despite Ophelia  having a large vocabulary and intelligence well above her years, she is still very much a kid and enjoys the traditional activities for someone her age.

10. Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov. , , via Wikimedia Commons

For over two decades, the Soviet-born chess master Garry Kasparov was regarded as the top player in the whole world. Kasparov did in fact become the youngest global chess champion in 1985 at the age of 22. His IQ is said to be slightly above 190. The most straight professional tournament victories (15) and Chess Oscars (11) belong to Kasparov. By beating the reigning champion Anatoly Karpov in 1985 at the age of 22, Kasparov became the youngest-ever undisputed world champion. In 1986, 1987, and 1990, he faced up against Karpov three times to defend his championship.

11. Jacob Barnett 

Jacob Barnett recent photo. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Doctors feared Jacob Barnett would never learn to tie his own shoes when he was two years old because of his moderate to severe autism. He’s obviously accomplished that objective. The American child prodigy got to college at age 10, having completed classes 6 through 12 in less than a year. By the age of 13, he had a published physics paper to his name. He is currently 21 and pursuing a PhD. His IQ has been recorded as 170.

12. Terence Tao

Terence Tao was already a math prodigy as a youngster. He began studying calculus, for instance, when he was just seven years old. This also happened to be the year he began high school. The “Mozart of Math” Tao received his PhD from Princeton University by the age of 20. He joined the University of California, Los Angeles faculty in the same year (1996) and was given a promotion to full professor four years later. Depending on the exam, his IQ ranges from 211 to 230.

He is remembered for of his numerous profound and diverse contributions to mathematics, which span a wide range of fields including harmonic analysis, prime number theory, partial differential equations, combinatorics, computer science, statistics, representation theory, and much more.

13. Adhara Pérez

Adhara Pérez initially had a difficult upbringing, which included being identified as having Asperger’s syndrome at the age of three and struggling to fit in at school. Pérez was given an IQ test when her mother, Nallely Sanchez, sought expert guidance regarding her daughter. Pérez received a score of 162 on the exam. By the age of five, she had completed elementary school, and by the age of eight, high school. She is now ten years old, pursuing two online degrees, and has just been given a position with the International Air and Space Program.

14. Kim Ung-Yong

Kim Ung-Yong. , , via Wikimedia Commons

Kim Ung-Yong has been described as both a “failed genius” and the one with the highest IQ ever. Like his IQ, which varies from 200 to 210 depending on the test, the truth depends on whoever you ask. Ung-Yong was recruited to work for NASA when he was eight years old after becoming well-known for his capacity to solve challenging mathematical equations by the age of four. He spent ten years there, but eventually departed because he felt lonely, he said to The Korea Herald in 2010.

15. Nicolaus Copernicus

Thought to have had an IQ between 160 and 200, Polish astronomer and mathematician Nicolaus Copernicus’ beliefs weren’t always the most popular. The Catholic Church, for example, forbade the use of his work De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Celestial Spheres) for more than two centuries. The sun, not Earth, is the star that is at the center of the solar system, according to the heliocentric theory of the cosmos that he articulated in it. Do you desire to grow mentally?

These exceptional brains throughout history, from Einstein’s ground-breaking discoveries to da Vinci’s creative brilliance, demonstrate the amazing potential of human intelligence, encouraging us to aspire for the stars and explore the virtually endless potential of our own minds. Their astounding IQs have made a lasting impression on our world, demonstrating the strength of brilliance and the enduring legacy of individuals who dare to think beyond the box.