The most intelligent person to ever live was born in America in 1898. William James Sidis was his name, and he eventually had an IQ score that ranged between 250 and 300. (with 100 being the norm).
His parents, Boris and Sarah, had good minds of their own. Sarah worked as a doctor, and Boris was a well-known psychotherapist. Some accounts claim that the Ukrainian immigrants settled in New York City, while others identify Boston as their hometown.
In each case, the parents were proud of their talented boy and lavished financial resources on books and maps to support his early education. Yet they were unaware of how quickly their beloved toddler would catch on.
A Genuine Young Prodigy
William James Sidis was able to read The New York Times when he was just 18 months old.
He could speak English, French, German, Russian, Hebrew, Turkish, and Armenian by the time he was six years old.
Sidis created his own language as a child, which is even more impressive (though it’s unknown if he ever used it as an adult). The aspirational child also wrote a novel, poetry, and even a proposed constitution for an eventual utopia.
At the tender age of nine, Sidis got accepted to Harvard University. He couldn’t enroll in classes, though, until he was eleven.
He gave a speech to the Harvard Mathematical Club in 1910 when he was still a student on the exceedingly difficult subject of four-dimensional bodies. For the majority of the audience, the talk was nearly incomprehensible, but for those that did, the lesson was a revelation.
Sidis earned his degree from the renowned institution in 1914. He was 16 at the time.
William James Sidis’ Unparalleled Intelligence
As there are no known records of William Sidis having his IQ tested, historians of today are left to guess as to what it might have been.
For comparison, an IQ score of 100 is regarded as average, while one of less than 70 is frequently seen as low. Anything over 130 is regarded as exceptionally gifted or advanced.
Reverse-analysis of historical IQs has revealed that Albert Einstein had a 160 IQ, Leonardo da Vinci had a 180 IQ, and Issac Newton had a 190 IQ.
William James Sidis’ IQ was reportedly between 250 and 300.
Every intelligent person will be pleased to inform you that it has no meaning (though they will probably still be a little cocky about it). Yet, Sidis was so intelligent that his IQ was equal to that of three typical people put together.
Nonetheless, despite his intelligence, he had trouble blending in with a society that didn’t comprehend him.
At age 16, after he received his Harvard diploma, he declared to reporters, “I want to live the perfect life. Living in seclusion is the only way to lead the ideal existence. I’ve never liked crowds.
The boy wonder’s strategy succeeded about as well as you might expect, especially for someone who had been so well-known for such a long time.
He briefly served as a mathematics instructor at Houston, Texas’ Rice Institute. But he was nearly driven out, in part because he was younger than many of his pupils.
The smartest person in the world passes away quietly rather than with a bang.
When William Sidis was detained during a Boston May Day Socialist March in 1919, he temporarily courted controversy. He had committed neither of the crimes for which he had been given an 18-month prison sentence: rioting nor assault on a police officer.
After his run-in with the law, Sidis was resolved to live in peace and alone. He took on a number of low-paying occupations, like entry-level accounting. Yet as soon as he was identified or his coworkers found out who he was, he would leave right away.
He later complained, “The very sight of a mathematical formula makes me physically uncomfortable.” They won’t let me be alone, even if all I want to do is run an adding machine.
Sidis made his final appearance in the public eye in 1937 when The New Yorker published a dismissive story about him. He chose to file a lawsuit for malicious libel and violation of privacy, but the judge
Shizo Kanakuri’s 1912 Olympic Marathon Finished 54 Years
At the 1912 Olympics, a marathon runner quit and went home to Japan without telling officials and was considered a missing person in Sweden for 50 years. In 1966, he was invited to complete the marathon. His time: 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes, and 20.379 seconds.
Nordlingen, The Town Inside A Meteorite Crater With Millions Of Meteorite Diamonds
The German town of Nördlingen is embedded with 72,000 tons of microscopic diamonds. About 15 million years ago, a meteorite hit this region, and the impact created a massive depression and formed rocks containing diamonds, glass, and crystals. The town was built in the impact crater sometime around 898 CE.
Max Headroom Incident: America’s Creepiest TV Hack
In 1987 a man hijacked a television station during an episode of Dr. Who and wore a Max Headroom mask and uttered nonsense, and he still hasn’t been caught
Jack the Baboon operated a railroad, earned a living, and never made a mistake
A baboon worked as a signalman for the railroad in the late 1800s. He never made a mistake and worked for the railroad until the day he died.
How a Total Lunar Eclipse Saved Christopher Columbus in 1504
In 1504, Christopher Columbus was stranded in Jamaica with natives who refused to give him food. But he knew the date and time of an upcoming lunar eclipse. So he told the natives that his gods were angry at their treatment of him, and would provide a clear sign. Once the eclipse started, the natives raced to give him food and begged for mercy.
The incredible story of Julia "Butterfly" Hill and her legacy
American environmental activist Julia “Butterfly” Hill lived in a 1500-year-old California Redwood tree for 738 days to prevent it from being cut down by the Pacific Lumber Company. The Simpson’s episode “Lisa the Tree Hugger” was inspired by Hill’s story.
What exactly was the US's 'Ghost Army' during WWII?
During WW2, there was a special unit of men dubbed the ‘Ghost Army’. The unit was made of artists, creative and engineers and their job was to create deception about the enemy. From inflatable tanks to phony convoys to scripted conversations in bars intended to spread disinformation, they used all possible tricks to fool the enemy.
The 440-pound bear named Wojtek and his World War II battle against the Nazis
Polish troops raised an orphaned bear cub during WWII. He enjoyed drinking beer, and was trained to salute. He became officially enlisted as a member of the forces, and helped carry artillery during battle.
Philippines, the largest supplier of Nurses in the World
Philippines is the world’s largest supplier of nurses, supplying roughly 25% of all overseas nurses worldwide.
Roller Coasters were First Invented to Distract People from sin
Roller coasters were invented to distract Americans from sin. In the 1880s, hosiery businessman LaMarcus Thompson didn’t like that Americans were going to places like saloons and brothels and created the first roller coaster on Coney Island to persuade them to go there instead.
The Day an Israeli F-15 Landed with One Wing: Zivi Nedivi’s Unbelievable Mid-Air Survival
Discover the astonishing true story of Israeli pilot Zivi Nedivi, who safely landed an F-15 after a mid-air collision tore off its entire right wing. Learn how skill, quick thinking, and the F-15’s unique design turned a disaster into a legendary feat in aviation history
The Mouth of Truth: Ancient Rome’s Legendary "Lie Detector" That Bit Off Hands
Discover the chilling legend of the Mouth of Truth (Bocca della Verità) in Ancient Rome—a massive carved stone face believed to bite off the hand of anyone who lied while inserting their hand into its gaping mouth. Uncover the truth behind its eerie reputation and how this ancient artifact became a symbol of honesty and fear.
Louis Le Prince Invented the motion picture camera, and then he mysteriously disappeared
Louis Le Prince, the inventor of motion pictures, vanished without a trace in 1890. Thomas Edison quickly claimed the title of "first and sole inventor of cinema," even taking Le Prince's son to court to dispute it. A few years later, the son also dies under mysterious circumstances.
The worst blizzard in recorded history: the 1972 Iran blizzard
The deadliest snowstorm ever recorded occurred in Iran in 1972. It lasted for a week, burying areas in 26 feet of snow and killing over 4,000 people, including the entire populations of three villages.
Nicholas Winton ‘British Schindler’: Man who rescued 669 Czech children from Nazis
A man named Nicholas Winton saved 669 kids during WWII and lived almost all his life without letting people know.
The incredible story of a plane that lost its roof in mid-flight and the light signal that saved 94 lives.
On April 28, 1988, Aloha Airlines flight 243 was on the way to Honolulu from Hilo when a huge portion of the upper part of the fuselage blew off the airplane.
D.B. Cooper: Man who hijacked a plane and jumped out with a $200,000
On November 22, 1971, DB Cooper hijacked a Boeing 727, drank a whisky, smoked a fag, and then jumped out of the plane with $200,000. He was never again seen.
Why the Word ‘Pen’ Comes from the Latin ‘Penna’ Meaning Feather
The humble word “pen” carries a rich history rooted in ancient times, derived from the Latin word penna, meaning “feather.” Long before modern pens revolutionized writing, feather quills—especially from geese—were the essential tools of scribes, scholars, and artists. This article journeys through the origins of the pen, its evolution, and fascinating trivia about the timeless connection between feathers and writing.
What is the story behind Wrigley chewing gum?
Wrigley's was originally a soap company that gifted baking powder with their soap. The baking powder became more popular than the soap so they switched to selling baking powder with chewing gum as a gift. The gum became more popular than the baking powder so the company switched to selling gum.
How Cleveland's Balloonfest in 1986 Turned Into a Public Tragedy
In Cleveland, Ohio, United Way broke the world record by deflating nearly 1.5 million balloons as part of a publicity stunt to raise money. The balloon obstructed a US Coast Guard search for two boaters who were subsequently discovered to have drowned, blocked airport runways, and blocked land and waterways.
1972 Andes Plane Crash Survivor recall the terrifying Struggles to Stay Alive
On October 13, 1972, a plane carrying a rugby team from Uruguay crashed in the Andes between Chile and Argentina. The survivors were in brutal conditions - high altitude, bitter cold, and the lack of food—and faced the most terrible choice—eating the frozen flesh of their dead friends or starving to death themselves.
Saudi Arabia camel carvings dated to prehistoric era
Archaeologists were shocked to discover that a series of camels carved into desert rock faces in north-western Saudi Arabia are actually prehistoric, dating from 7,000-8,000 years ago - before either the Pyramids of Giza or Stonehenge were built.
Juliane Koepcke: The Teenager Who Fell 10,000 Feet And Trekked The Jungle to survive
In 1971, a high school student was sucked out of an airplane after it was struck by lightning. She fell 10,000 feet to the ground while still strapped to her chair and survived. Only to endure a 9-day trek to the nearest civilization.
Why was the Eiffel Tower almost demolished
The Eiffel Tower was intended to be a temporary structure for the World's Fair in 1889, but it was nearly dismantled and sold for scrap metal. It was saved because of its potential use as a radio antenna, and it now serves as a tourist attraction as well as a working broadcast tower.
Henry Ford, The man popularizing the concept of the weekend off
Henry Ford was the first Industrial Giant to give his employees both Saturday and Sunday off in the hope of encouraging more leisurely use of automobiles and thus popularizing the concept of the "weekend."
