The only people who do not struggle with mathematics are those who don’t use it. As aspiring physicists advance through their undergraduate studies, they face increasingly difficult levels of mathematics, moving through calculus, linear algebra and different domains of geometry. As they transition into graduate work, depending on their field of interest, they will require …
Srinivasa Ramanujan. 1887 – 1920 Absolutely! There are a variety of excellent textbooks in mathematics up to the graduate level that will enable a highly intelligent person to master mathematics to that level. Beyond that, you will need to delve into research journals to find the latest developments in particular branches of mathematics. A remarkable …
Can Someone with a Higher IQ Learn Advanced Mathematics on their Own? Read More »
Actually, Einstein did ultimately receive a Noble Prize for Physics. It had eluded him for almost two decades after his annus mirabilis in 1905. Although he had been nominated several times from 1910 onward for his Theory of Relativity, the award was given each year to someone else. Finally, in 1922 the Nobel Committee informed …
We are all born with different characteristics and proclivities depending on the genes we inherit. This applies to our ability to recognize complex patterns in information, to solve problems at a high level and to engage in complex abstraction. That’s why some people score higher than others in the math section of IQ tests. Is …
Yes, there are several known, and probably many more unknown cases in which a student has done poorly or failed tests and gone on to achieve greatness. I will provide three examples: one who failed in elementary school, and two who failed at higher levels. On February 11, 1847, Thomas Alva Edison was born in …
Although there is no record of Einstein ever taking an IQ test, it’s unlikely that he would have been interested in this measure of his intelligence, because he believed that intelligence was more closely aligned to passionate curiosity. Walter Isaacson, in his biography of Einstein, titled, Einstein: His Life and Universe, (p. 548) reported that …
Did Einstein ever know his IQ was higher than others and did he ever boast about it? Read More »
Research has revealed that there is a great deal of variation among individuals in their ages of peak performance, some achieving eminence before age 30 and others decades later. Furthermore, certain cognitive abilities continue to increase throughout life, while others decline. Reporting on their recent findings, the researchers at MIT’s Department of Brain and Cognitive …
Most highly intelligent people, acutely aware of the absurdities of life, express themselves in humor that is sometimes playful and often sardonic. Laughter provides a natural release for the psychological stress that comes from prolonged intense focus. Richard Feynman was famous for his jokes and pranks. During his childhood, he collected stamps and among his …
In November 2011, 68-year-old physicist Paul Frampton was feeling lonely and despondent. Years of chasing top-dog status among Nobel laureates in elementary particle physics had left him without a family, and languishing in the emptiness of a life devoid of relationships. Since his divorce 3 years earlier from Anne-Marie, his only connections to the outer …
William Cowper in his long poem, The Task, (Book II, The Timepiece: line 606) published in 1785, states, “Variety’s the very spice of life; That gives it all its flavor.” In this, Cowper recognizes the richness that comes from a variety of different styles and colors in the tapestry of life. This applies not only …
