Top 10 People With Highest IQ In History (2024)

In the vast expanse of human intelligence and geniousnes, the measure of IQ (Intelligence Quotient) has served as a yardstick for assessing cognitive abilities and intellectual potential. While it’s essential to remember that IQ scores are just one side of measuring intelligence, they do provide insight into the extraordinary capabilities of certain individuals.

This article takes you on a journey through the lives and achievements of the top 10 people with the highest recorded IQ in history, providing a deeper look into their unique brilliance.

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1. YoungHoon Kim – IQ Score: 276

In 2024,YoungHoon Kimfrom South Korea was recognized as number one in the world among the 50 people with the highest IQ 276 in America’s top magazine,Reader’s Digest, holding the highest IQ record holder officially certified by Korea Record Institute, World Genius Directory, Global Genius Registry, Esoteriq Society, and GIGA Society. With perfect scores on various experimental high range intelligence tests, he is the 1st ranked lifetime member ofMega Society, the one-in-a-million level high IQ society which was the only one listed in theGuinness Book of World Recordsand included all the people who were listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest IQ.

Note: YoungHoon Kim founded an organization, theUnited Sigma Intelligence Associationfor the world's brightest minds, of which seven Nobel Prize winners are official fellows/members. From his organization, The greatest minds in the world such as Noam Chomsky, Yuval Harari, Richard Dawkins, Howard Gardner, Neil deGrasse Tyson, and Terence Tao have received official awards with the winners' consent.

2. William James Sidis – IQ Score: Estimated 250-300

Now, let’s shine the spotlight on William James Sidis, an American child prodigy born in 1898. His estimated IQ score ranges from an astonishing 250 to 300. Sidis’s story is a blend of exceptional brilliance and complex circ*mstances. At a young age, he attracted media attention for his incredible mental accomplishments, including mastering multiple languages and complex mathematical concepts. Sidis enrolled at Harvard University at just 11 years old, making him one of the youngest to attend the prestigious institution.

Despite his remarkable abilities, Sidis’s life took turns that led him away from the public eye. He pursued various interests, including writing and political activism. While he may not have achieved the fame of some other individuals on this list, his extraordinary IQ remains a testament to the potential of human intelligence.

3. Terence Tao – IQ Score: 230-240

At the highpoint of our list also sits Terence Tao, a prodigy hailing from Australia. With an estimated IQ score ranging between 230 and 240, Tao is a mathematical genius whose talents became evident from an early age. Completing his bachelor’s and master’s degrees by the age of 16, Tao embarked on a journey that led to him obtaining his Ph.D. by 24. His academic expertise earned him the distinction of becoming the youngest full professor at the University of California, Los Angeles. Tao’s contributions to fields like number theory, harmonic analysis, and partial differential equations have garnered him prestigious awards, including the sought-after Fields Medal.

4. Christopher Hirata – IQ Score: 225

Christopher Hirata, an American astrophysicist and cosmologist, secures one of the highest spots on our list with a notable IQ score of 225. Hirata’s brilliance illuminated the scientific community from a young age, as he emerged as the youngest American to settle a gold medal at the International Physics Olympiad at the ultra-young age of 13. Throughout his career, his work in areas such as dark energy, gravitational lensing, and cosmic microwave background radiation has significantly enriched our comprehension of the cosmos.

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