Smarter Than Einstein? What Record-Breaking IQ Scores Really Mean

The first Intelligence Quotient test came about in 1904 when French psychologist Alfred Binet was tasked by his government with identifying children who would need extra help in school.

Over the years, though, experts have claimed that IQ tests have limitations. They believe a single number cannot accurately quantify someone’s intelligence, because it’s such a complex topic that is affected by countless factors which change and evolve over time.

Regardless, IQ tests are still widely used today, and some experts believe the naysayers have made too much of the test’s supposed faults. For instance, the University of Mexico’s Rex Jung told New Scientist magazine, “Despite the critiques, the intelligence test is one of the most reliable and solid behavioral tests ever invented.”

These days, it’s not unusual to periodically see articles bragging about how a new “smarter-than-Einstein” genius has been discovered. And that excites people because Einstein is, effectively, worldwide shorthand for “the genius of geniuses!”

You see, when Einstein first emerged into the public consciousness, IQ testing was in its infancy, meaning any claims of his IQ level are estimates. The number most associated with Einstein is 160, the maximum score on the WAIS-IV test, but it’s not exactly known how this was calculated.

Jonathan Wai, a University of Arkansas professor who writes about IQ for Psychology Today, argued that Einstein’s score would have been incredibly high because of his education and work-based achievements. He claimed, “People who obtain Ph.D.s in areas such as physics tend to have extremely high IQs — a combination of mathematical, verbal, and spatial reasoning ability.”

The urge to attach an IQ number to legendarily intelligent people from history began in 1926. This was when researcher Catharine M. Cox published a list of estimates for 301 historical figures, including the likes of Beethoven, Charles Dickens, and Galileo.

Regardless of whether his IQ can actually ever be confirmed, it’s never been denied that Einstein was mind-bogglingly intelligent. So, who are some of the modern names supposedly smarter than the man who came up with relativity?

Sánchez’s story is truly one of triumph over adversity. At only three years old, speech problems led to her being diagnosed with developmental delay. She was twice moved to new schools; none of them recognized her innate talents.

Despite this, Sánchez went on to complete her high-school education at the age of seven. By the time she was 11, she was on the verge of attaining a master’s degree in systems and industrial engineering, with a minor in math.

Sánchez’s score of 162 pales in comparison to the 192 achieved by Rick Rosner, though; he’s a unique individual who has been a stripper, bouncer, screenwriter, and roller-skating waiter at various different points in his life.

According to the World Genius Directory, Rosner is the second smartest person on Earth. He told Business Insider that he was first labeled a genius in kindergarten, when every kid in his class took an IQ test.

Rosner has a fascinating outlook on the difference between someone exhibiting knowledge versus being intelligent. He theorized, “Knowledge is the facts and expertise you have readily available without too much thought. Intelligence is the ability to apply what you know to positive effect.”

So, if Rosner is the world’s second-smartest man, who is number one? Well, in 2002 Greek psychiatrist Dr. Evangelos Katsioulis attained a stunning score of 205 on the NVCP-R test. That took him to the very top of the intelligence mountain.

Speaking to In-Sight: Independent Interview-Based Journal, Dr. Katsioulis revealed that he’d had a fairly normal childhood, with no outward signs of genius. Having said that, his intelligence was encouraged from a young age.

“I should emphasize that I enjoyed more spending my time on my own instead of socializing, which lasted till my adolescence,” admitted Dr. Katsioulis. “Teachers’ feedback was positive and promising at all stages of my education.”

With an IQ of 200, Portland’s Sho Yano — of Japanese and South Korean descent — is a real-life Doogie Howser. He attended the famous Mirman School for highly gifted children in Los Angeles, before going to Loyola University in Chicago at the age of only nine.

Dr. Yano more than kept up that accelerated pace, graduating from Loyola at only 12 years old. He then enrolled in the Pritzker School of Medicine at the University of Chicago, spending the next nine years completing medical school and attaining a molecular genetics and cell biology Ph.D.

“I really don't regret anything I did,” insisted Dr. Yano. “I have a good idea of how kids and teenagers act. I’m not sure that I would've enjoyed that. I don’t think I missed all that much.” For him, it was all about using his “gift from God” to become a doctor, which would enable him to affect the world in a positive way.

The likes of Sánchez, Rosner, Dr. Katsioulis, and Dr. Yano undoubtedly benefited from their stunning IQ test scores, but their achievements will likely never silence the critics. In 2012 the most extensive study ever conducted on human cognition was published. And it led experts to characterize IQ tests as “fundamentally flawed” and even “a fallacy.”

Dr. Highfield then doubled down: “It has always seemed to be odd that we like to call the human brain the most complex known object in the universe, yet many of us are still prepared to accept that we can measure brain function by doing a few so-called IQ tests.”

So, what did the results show that prompted such a reaction from Dr. Highfield? Well, the study included an online battery of 12 tests which 100,000 people from all walks of life completed. The tests measured memory, attention, planning, and reasoning.

A subset of 16 participants of the study then consented to having their brain circuitry analyzed via an MRI scan. These results showed that, in terms of the three elements of cognitive ability, they are actually the domain of three different nerve circuits in the human brain.

Another big criticism of IQ tests is that their results can be very context-based. According to Steven Piantadosi of the University of California, “IQ tests are known to be sensitive to things like motivation and coaching. This makes a lot of sense: if you try less, you’re not going to score as high.”

On top of that, a common argument is that there are cultural biases inherent in IQ tests. For instance, members of the Tsimane tribe in Bolivia — with whom Dr. Piantadosi has worked extensively — don’t use words to describe shapes.

Any IQ test worth its salt will have gone through a process of eliminating any potential racial or cultural bias in its questions, but some experts argue that unintentionally skewed questions can still slip through the net.

A lot of critics have argued that IQ tests are also limited in the kinds of intelligence they measure. For example, we often talk about people showing emotional intelligence — and that can’t really be easily quantified. For example, how can a survey test if someone has empathy for others?

Another aspect of emotional intelligence which can’t be measured on an IQ test is the recognition of one’s own emotions. By this we mean, if you are upset or angry about something, but you are able to understand why, then your emotional intelligence is likely high.

Gardner is known for his theory of multiple intelligences, which he published in 1983’s Frames of Mind. On top of the two kinds of intelligence measured by IQ tests — logical and language — and emotional intelligence, Gardner believes there are five more which are not calculable.

Gardner believes bodily kinesthetic intelligence is key to coordinating our bodies, and is therefore a very important kind of intelligence. He told Big Think it “comes in two flavors.”

We previously mentioned interpersonal intelligence — but Gardner also believes humans display intrapersonal intelligence. His definition is similar to the self-awareness aspect of emotional intelligence — but it mostly concerns our ability to understand what we want out of life.

Next we have musical intelligence, which is one of Gardner’s more controversial arguments. People tend to push back on it, but Gardner explained, “People say, well, music is a talent. It’s not an intelligence. And I say, ‘Why?’”

Finally, Gardner also believes humans exhibit naturalist intelligence, which is “the capacity to make important, relevant discriminations in the world of nature between one plant and another, between one animal and another. It's the intelligence of the naturalist; the intelligence of Charles Darwin.”

Gardner told Big Think, “Everything we do in the commercial world uses our naturalist intelligence.” In his opinion, we use it when we distinguish between items we want to purchase. He explained, “Why do I buy this jacket rather than another one?”

Research has suggested that overall IQ scores have actually dropped in the last three decades. And this could be because our education systems have been gradually placing more and more emphasis on these other kinds of intelligence.

These days, though, education is less about simply memorizing facts and regurgitating them. Instead, Whalley claimed, “Children in the West are taught collective scientific problem-solving, combined with interpersonal skills and teamwork, which requires less memorisation.”

Overall, all this begs the question: is a high IQ score still something people strive for, or is it more important to seek a more well-rounded intelligence? The answer, as with most things in life, lies somewhere in the middle.

On the other hand, while a high IQ score might get your foot in the door of a prestigious job these days, it won’t necessarily help you thrive there. In the old days, an IQ test was one of the best ways to predict how someone may climb the career ladder.

You see, in today’s world, many companies want employees capable of pivoting on a dime in a fast and frequently changing environment. Goldman Sachs VP Natalie Fratto told the BBC that people with AQ find ways to conquer challenges.