Who has the highest IQ ever recorded? Here's what we know about the world's smartest people. (2024)

Olivia MunsonUSA TODAY

According to Mensa International, IQ is ascore that identifieshow far above orbelowsomeone is in comparison to others' mental ability.

The term was coined in 1912, and since then, IQ tests have been further developed to define standard deviations of someone's logic and reasoning.

Even with tests, intelligence is not easy to measure.Those who are considered"the smartest people in the world," such as Stephen Hawkingand Albert Einstein, do not have extraordinarily high IQ scores in comparison withothers.

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Who has the highest IQ?

There is not a distinct answer to who has the highest IQ, but itisnot Albert Einstein.

Those with higher IQs in comparison withEinsteinincludeWilliam James Sidis,Leonardo Da Vinci andMarilyn vos Savant.

Sidis was a child prodigy whose IQ was estimated to be anywhere between200 to 300,says parade.com. According to the University of Houston, he attended Harvard University at 11 years old and graduated at the age of 16.

Da Vinci, famedpainter and theorist, is estimated to have hadIQ scores rangingfrom 180 to 220, according to parade.com.

Savant has the highest recorded IQ, receiving a score of228, and was listed in"The Guinness Book of World Records" in 1985, according to encyclopedia.com. She has been called"the smartest person in the world," saysencyclopedia.com

Other people with someof thehighest IQs areSho Yano, who hadan estimated IQ of around 200 at 10 years old, andAdragon De Mello, who hada projected IQ of 400 andgraduated from the University of California, Santa Cruz at 11 years old, according to Reader's Digest.

What was AlbertEinstein's IQ?

Though some sources estimate theoretical physicist Albert Einstein's IQ was around 160, there is no indication he ever had his IQ tested, according to biography.com.

“If you google ‘Einstein's IQ’ you get plenty of results, but nothing that I would consider credible,” says professorDean Keith Simonton forbiography.com.

So, there is no real answer to what was Einstein's IQ level.Mostavailable scores appear to be simple estimates.

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What was Stephen Hawking's IQ?

Similar to Einstein, theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking had an estimated IQ of 160, yetit is unknown if he ever took an IQ test, according to enhancingbrain.com.

According to Healthline,about 68% of peoplehave an IQ between 85 and 115. The average IQ score in the U.S. is98, says Healthline.

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Who has the highest IQ ever recorded? Here's what we know about the world's smartest people. (2024)
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