The official IQ test was first formulated by French psychologist Alfons Binet during the early years of the 20th century. The purpose of the test was to examine cognitive abilities, which would measure one’s potential intelligence. Binet originally designed the test to determine children who were in need of special educational support, but the tests became more general in nature with time to determine cognitive abilities in various fields.
IQ is standardised, averaging at 100, but scores between 85 and 115 for most. In general, it is generally viewed as higher in those cases who attain scores from 130 and more above, whilst attaining from 70 to down are assumed to be potential intellect disabilities cases. These remain a staple feature within the fields of education and psychological assessments alongside extensive research conducted under these cognates to diagnose various elements of one’s cognitive behavior or intelligence quotients.
List of highest IQ individuals
The Giga Society is an extremely high IQ society, in which those taking part have had to achieve scores at or above 190 on accepted high-range IQ tests. As per Giga Society 2025 reports published the top 10 individuals with the highest recorded IQs; the list comprises individuals who have greatly contributed, not only in fields of mathematics and physics but also within medical sciences, to intellect as a whole. Here are the top 10 individuals with highest IQ:
World’s highest IQ individuals
YoungHoon Kim (IQ 276)
According to the recent reports, YoungHoon Kim, South Korea, has the highest recorded IQ as of 2024, with a score of 276. His intelligence has been verified by various organizations, including the Giga Society and the World Genius Directory. Kim’s expertise spans multiple disciplines, including psychology, neuroscience, and linguistics, demonstrating his significant contributions to these fields.
Terence Tao (IQ 230)
Terence Tao is an Australian-American mathematician who has made impressive contributions to fields such as harmonic analysis and partial differential equations. He became professor at UCLA at the age of 24 and was awarded the Fields Medal in 2006. His brilliant mind has earned him the status of one of the brightest mathematicians of this generation.
Marilyn Vos Savant (IQ 228)
Marilyn Vos Savant is an American author and columnist, best known for her column “Ask Marilyn” in Parade magazine, answering complex puzzles and questions on the subjects of logic and philosophy. Vos Savant’s IQ, when it was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records, contributed to the spread of interest in the study of intelligence.
Christopher Hirata (IQ 225)
Astrophysicist Christopher Hirata gained attention by virtue of possessing some kind of genius level. He bagged a gold medal in the International Physics Olympiad by the age of 13 years and a Ph.D. in Astrophysics by age 22. Hirata got recognition by performing work in different projects related to Dark Energy, cosmology etc; for this contribution he got a prestigious Mac Arthur fellowship.
Sho Yano (IQ 200)
Sho Yano is a medical prodigy who, at the age of 12, graduated from the University of Chicago and earned his medical degree by the time he was 21. His achievements and contributions to genetics and molecular biology make him a shining star in the scientific research community with impactful work in his field.
Evangelos Katsioulis (IQ 198)
Evangelos Katsioulis, Greek psychiatrist and intellectual, has exceptional IQ as per reports, outstanding academic credentials. He possesses more than one higher degree: methodology of medical research and philosophy, and has contributions in psychiatry and philosophy and is participating in intellectual debates and academic congresses.
Christopher Harding (IQ 197)
Christopher Harding is an Australian intellectual who established the International Society for Philosophical Enquiry. He was in the Guinness Book of World Records for his high IQ from 1966 to 1988. Harding’s contributions to philosophy and intellectual inquiry are well recognized within high-IQ communities.
Christopher Langan (IQ 195)
Christopher Langan is a self-educated genius and known for developing the Cognitive-Theoretic Model of the Universe (CTMU). This is one of the attempts to unify science, philosophy, and theology. Langan’s IQ has been recognized as one of the greatest, and his work has revealed such excellence and indeed a unique integration of complex issues from different domains.
Rick Rosner (IQ 192)
Rick Rosner, a television writer, and a game show player, has an IQ of around 192. According to the reports, he was brought into the spotlight not only because of his high intellect but also because of his offbeat profession and weird history, which underlined his intellectual ability.
Garry Kasparov (IQ 190)
Garry Kasparov is the legendary Russian chess grandmaster who made great contributions to the game, particularly with his aggressive and dynamic playing style. He became the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion at 22 years old and played the champion title for over a decade. Kasparov eventually retired from competitive chess and turned into a political activist to advance democracy and human rights.
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