Higher IQ than Einstein? Every “162” Mensa child in the news, counted
Every few months a newspaper says a child has a higher IQ than Einstein. We counted every such story we could check, 2007 to 2026, and found the same number in almost all of them, the reason for it, and what it is on the usual IQ scale.
By Leon Falkner, Data & Research Analyst · Reviewed by Aarav Vardhan, Editor-in-Chief · Published 30 October 2026 · 8 min read
About this study
- Report type
- Data study: a count of news stories, plus test facts from Mensa
- Data
- 307 news stories about 74 children, July 2007 to June 2026, one row each, no names
- Built from
- News stories we opened and checked, 202 outlets in 40 countries
- Checked against
- Mensa International and British Mensa on the test, its scale and its top scores
- Licence
- CC BY 4.0 (our dataset and charts)
- Version
- 2026.10
- Sources
- 7
At least 307 news stories, 2007 to 2026, have said a child has a higher IQ than Einstein or Hawking after a Mensa test. They cover 74 children, nearly all in the UK, and 9 in 10 give the same score: 162, the highest British Mensa’s Cattell III B test gives anyone under 18. That test uses a wider scale (SD 24), so 162 is about 139 on the usual IQ scale. Einstein never took an IQ test. IQ Metrics Research, October 2026.
01 Key findings
- At least 307 news stories about 74 children compared a child with Einstein or Hawking after an IQ test, July 2007 to June 2026, in 202 outlets in 40 countries.IQ Metrics count of news stories
- 9 in 10 give the same number, 162 (275 of 303 stories with a score): the top score of British Mensa’s Cattell III B for under-18s. 12 more give 161, the adult top score.IQ Metrics count; HuffPost UK 2016; TODAY 2015
- 162 on that test is about 139 on the usual IQ scale. The Cattell III B spreads scores wider (SD 24, not 15). To match the 160 usually quoted for Einstein, a child would need 196 on the Mensa test, 34 points above its top score.Mensa International; IQ Metrics calculation
- Only 3 of 307 stories explain the scale. 65% say 162 is the highest possible score, and 84% still say the child beats Einstein or Hawking.IQ Metrics count
- Einstein and Hawking never took a known IQ test. British Mensa called their “160” “a bit of an urban myth” in 2015; Hawking said in 2004 that people who boast about their IQ are losers.TODAY 2015; New York Times Magazine 2004
- One result can run in 29 outlets. 37 of the 74 children were covered more than once. 66 stories ran in Indian outlets, though none of the children lives in India.IQ Metrics count
02 Statistics to quote
News stories, 2007 to 2026, comparing a child’s IQ score with Einstein or Hawking (at least).
IQ Metrics, 2026Of the stories with a score give exactly 162, the test’s top score for under-18s.
IQ Metrics, 2026What a 162 on the Mensa test equals on the usual IQ scale (SD 15).
IQ Metrics calculationStories that explain the Mensa test uses a wider scale than the “160” given for Einstein.
IQ Metrics, 2026The Mensa-test score that would match Einstein’s guessed 160: 34 points above the test’s top.
IQ Metrics calculationChildren who score 156 to 162 on the Mensa test, in British Mensa’s own words.
British Mensa in TODAY, 201503 How many children have a "higher IQ than Einstein" in the news?
At least 307 stories about 74 children since 2007. We counted every news story we could open that compared a child’s IQ test score with Albert Einstein or Stephen Hawking: 258 of them say the child beats one or both, 19 say the child equals them, and the rest give the score next to the famous names without a verdict.
Every news story that compared a child with Einstein or Hawking after an IQ test, 2007-2026
One square per story we could open and check (307 stories about 74 children, July 2007 to June 2026). Colour = what the story claims. Hover a square for the outlet, the month, the child's age and the score.
307 storiesone square = one story
Source: IQ Metrics Research count of news stories, 2007-2026 (CSV below); every story is linked in the dataset
Data table
| story | group | label | detail |
|---|---|---|---|
| S001 | Gives the score, no comparison | Tavistock Times Gazette · 2007-07 | girl, 14 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S002 | Says the child equals them | Fox News · 2009-10 | boy, 2 · score 160 · says 162 is the top score |
| S003 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | SWNS · 2010-09 | boy, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S004 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Daily Express · 2010-09 | boy, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S005 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Yorkshire Post · 2011-02 | girl, 14 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S006 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Shropshire Star · 2011-03 | girl, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S007 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Daily Star (Bangladesh) · 2011-03 | girl, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S008 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Eduline · 2011-03 | girl, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S009 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Week · 2011-03 | girl, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S010 | Says the child falls just short | Fox News · 2012-04 | girl, 4 · score 159 · does not say it is the top score |
| S011 | Says the child falls just short | Live Science · 2012-04 | girl, 4 · score 159 · does not say it is the top score |
| S012 | Says the child falls just short | NBC News · 2012-04 | girl, 4 · score 159 · does not say it is the top score |
| S013 | Says the child falls just short | The Christian Post · 2012-04 | girl, 4 · score 159 · does not say it is the top score |
| S014 | Says the child falls just short | Global News · 2012-04 | boy, 2 · score 154 · does not say it is the top score |
| S015 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Business Standard · 2012-10 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S016 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | HuffPost UK · 2012-10 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S017 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Medical Daily · 2012-10 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S018 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Blitz Quotidiano · 2012-10 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S019 | Says the child equals them | The Korea Times · 2013-02 | girl, 3 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S020 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | SWNS · 2013-02 | girl, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S021 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Travelers Today · 2013-02 | girl, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S022 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Business Standard · 2013-02 | girl, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S023 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | HuffPost · 2013-02 | girl, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S024 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | IBTimes UK · 2013-02 | girl, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S025 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Christian Post · 2013-02 | girl, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S026 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Business Standard · 2013-03 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S027 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | IBTimes India · 2013-03 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S028 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | eSchool News · 2013-03 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S029 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Scotsman · 2013-03 | boy, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S030 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Gulf News · 2013-06 | girl, 13 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S031 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Business Standard · 2013-06 | girl, 13 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S032 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Gawker · 2013-06 | girl, 13 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S033 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | HuffPost · 2013-06 | girl, 13 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S034 | Gives the score, no comparison | The Christian Post · 2013-06 | girl, 13 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S035 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Salon · 2013-06 | girl, 13 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S036 | Gives the score, no comparison | South West Londoner · 2013-06 | girl, 13 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S037 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Business Standard · 2013-08 | girl, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S038 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Millennium Post · 2013-08 | girl, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S039 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Yorkshire Post · 2013-08 | girl, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S040 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | IBTimes Australia · 2013-08 | girl, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S041 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Birmingham Post · 2013-08 | girl, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S042 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | theAsianparent · 2013-09 | girl, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S043 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Get West London · 2013-09 | girl, 15 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S044 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | India TV · 2013-10 | girl, 16 · score 161 · does not say it is the top score |
| S045 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | IBTimes UK · 2014-02 | girl, 3 · score 160 · does not say it is the top score |
| S046 | Says the child equals them | The Scotsman · 2014-04 | girl, 13 · score 160 · says 162 is the top score |
| S047 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Romford Recorder · 2014-05 | boy, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S048 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Deccan Chronicle · 2014-05 | boy, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S049 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Atlanta Black Star · 2014-05 | boy, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S050 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Black Youth Project · 2014-05 | boy, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S051 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Milwaukee Courier · 2014-06 | boy, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S052 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Focus Junior · 2014-07 | girl, age not given · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S053 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Root · 2014-07 | boy, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S054 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Black Enterprise · 2014-07 | boy, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S055 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Good Black News · 2014-07 | boy, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S056 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Black America Web · 2014-07 | boy, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S057 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Standard (Kenya) · 2014-10 | boy, 14 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S058 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Deccan Chronicle · 2014-10 | boy, 14 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S059 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | VnExpress · 2014-10 | boy, 14 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S060 | Gives the score, no comparison | Teesside Gazette · 2015-04 | boy, 11 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S061 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | FPJ (freepressjournal.in) · 2015-04 | boy, 11 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S062 | Gives the score, no comparison | Business Standard · 2015-06 | boy, 10 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S063 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Bustle · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S064 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Fossbytes · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S065 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Yahoo News · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S066 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Armenpress · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S067 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Republica · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S068 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | T13 · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S069 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Eduline · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S070 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Catholic Online · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S071 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | ScienceAlert · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S072 | Says the child equals them | Quartz · 2015-08 | girl, 12 · score 162 · does not say it is the top score |
| S073 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Guardian · 2015-09 | girl, 12 · score not given · says 162 is the top score |
| S074 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | Daily Gazette (Colchester) · 2015-09 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S075 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | IBTimes India · 2015-09 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S076 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | IOL · 2015-09 | girl, 12 · score not given · says 162 is the top score |
| S077 | Gives the score, no comparison | TIME · 2015-09 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S078 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | India TV · 2015-09 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S079 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Quint · 2015-09 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
| S080 | Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | The Tribune (India) · 2015-09 | girl, 12 · score 162 · says 162 is the top score |
First 80 of 307 rows; the Data button gives all of them.
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The stories come in waves. The busiest year was 2015, with 43 stories, and a new child appears almost every year. Each result is told again and again: 37 of the 74 children were covered by more than one outlet, and one girl’s 2015 result ran in 29.
"Higher IQ than Einstein" stories each year, by where they ran
Stories per year by the outlet's country. Almost every child lives in the UK (67 of 74); the stories travel. 2026 is a part year (to June).
Source: IQ Metrics Research count of news stories, 2007-2026
Data table
| year | UK outlets | US outlets | Indian outlets | Other countries | total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2008 | 0 | ||||
| 2009 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 2010 | 2 | 2 | |||
| 2011 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |
| 2012 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
| 2013 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 26 |
| 2014 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
| 2015 | 5 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 43 |
| 2016 | 8 | 2 | 12 | 2 | 24 |
| 2017 | 7 | 2 | 13 | 4 | 26 |
| 2018 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 12 |
| 2019 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 18 | 31 |
| 2020 | 4 | 2 | 6 | ||
| 2021 | 13 | 1 | 2 | 16 | |
| 2022 | 16 | 7 | 2 | 15 | 40 |
| 2023 | 4 | 3 | 9 | 16 | |
| 2024 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 22 | |
| 2025 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 8 | |
| 2026 | 4 | 4 |
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04 Why do so many of them score exactly 162?
Because 162 is the highest score on the Mensa test for anyone under 18: it is where the test stops. British Mensa’s supervised test is the Cattell III B, and “the maximum possible score is 161 for adults, and 162 for under-18s” [1]. A child who answers everything well enough gets 162, whether they are at the top 1 in 200 or the top 1 in a million.
59 of the 74 children in our count were reported at 162, and 64 at 161 or 162. British Mensa’s own spokesperson put it plainly in 2015: on that test, a score between 156 and 162 is in the top 1%, so “one in 100 children will achieve within that range” [2]. A top score on a test with a ceiling means “at least this high”, not an exact level. See why no IQ test can reliably score you above 160 and the ceiling on an IQ test.
The score each child was given in the news
One dot per child (74 with a score), at the score the stories reported. 59 of them sit on 162, the highest score British Mensa's Cattell III B test can give anyone under 18; 161 is the adult top score. The few lower dots are mostly children under 10, tested by psychologists on other tests.
Source: IQ Metrics Research count of news stories; the test’s top scores: HuffPost UK 2016 [1], TODAY 2015 [2]
Data table
| group | score | count |
|---|---|---|
| Children in the news | 138 | 1 |
| Children in the news | 142 | 1 |
| Children in the news | 146 | 1 |
| Children in the news | 154 | 1 |
| Children in the news | 159 | 2 |
| Children in the news | 160 | 4 |
| Children in the news | 161 | 5 |
| Children in the news | 162 | 59 |
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05 What is 162 on the Mensa test on the usual IQ scale?
About 139. Most IQ tests, including the Wechsler tests, set one standard deviation (SD) at 15 points: the step that marks how spread out scores are. The Cattell III B uses 24 [3]. So the same rank among test takers gives a bigger number on the Cattell scale. Mensa’s pass mark shows it: 148 on the Cattell III B and 130 on the usual scale both mark the top 2% [3].
The same rarity on two IQ scales: the Mensa test and the usual one
Each row is one level of rarity. Orange: the score on British Mensa's Cattell III B (SD 24). Blue: the score that is just as rare on the usual IQ scale (SD 15), the one Einstein's guessed 160 is quoted on. The last row runs the other way: what 160 on the usual scale would be on the Mensa test.
IQ points
Source: Scale (SD 16 or 24) and the 148 pass mark: Mensa International [3]; 156-162 band: British Mensa in TODAY 2015 [2]; conversion by IQ Metrics (same percentile on a normal curve)
Data table
| level | Usual IQ scale (SD 15) | Mensa test, Cattell III B (SD 24) |
|---|---|---|
| 148: Mensa's pass mark (top 2%) | 130 | 148 |
| 156: start of Mensa's "1 in 100 children" band | 135 | 156 |
| 160 | 137.5 | 160 |
| 161: the top score for adults | 138.1 | 161 |
| 162: the top score for under-18s | 138.8 | 162 |
| Einstein's guessed 160, moved to the Mensa scale | 160 | 196 |
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162 on the Cattell III B is the 99.5th percentile: about 1 in 204 people of the same age would reach it if the norms are right. That is a very high score. It is still about 139 on the scale used for Einstein’s “160”, and the 160 would be 196 on the Mensa test, 34 points past the top.
Our explainers cover the Cattell tests and SD 24 and why one percentile can have three numbers; the IQ percentile calculator converts any score, and this guide lists the score each accepted test needs for Mensa.
06 What was Einstein's IQ, really?
Nobody knows: there is no record that Einstein ever took an IQ test. The 160 is a later guess from his achievements, and British Mensa called it “a bit of an urban myth” when a 12-year-old’s 162 made the news in 2015 [2].
The Stephen Hawking IQ figure is the same kind of guess. Asked his IQ in 2004, Hawking said he had no idea, adding that “people who boast about their IQ are losers” [5]. More on both: Albert Einstein’s IQ and Stephen Hawking’s IQ, and what an IQ of 160 means. For the famous high scores and what they rest on, see the highest IQ ever recorded.
07 How many stories explain the catch?
Almost none. 65% of the stories say 162 is the highest possible score, which is true. But only 3 of 307 say the test uses a wider scale than the one Einstein’s 160 is quoted on: one of them a fact-check, which rated the claim misleading [6]. 233 stories (76%) put Einstein in the headline.
How many stories tell readers what the 162 means
Each stage keeps the stories from the stage above that also do the next thing.
Source: IQ Metrics Research count of news stories, 2007-2026
Data table
| stage | count | pct_of_first | pct_of_previous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Every story in the count | 307 | 100 | 100 |
| Gives the child's score | 303 | 98.7 | 98.7 |
| Says the child beats Einstein or Hawking | 255 | 83.1 | 84.2 |
| Says the score is the test's maximum | 164 | 53.4 | 64.3 |
| Explains that the test uses a wider scale | 2 | 0.7 | 1.2 |
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08 Who are the children in the stories?
41 girls and 33 boys, with a median age of 11. 67 live in the UK, where British Mensa tests children from 10 and a half [4]; some took it with their whole class [1]. Younger children qualify with a psychologist’s report on another test [4], which is why a few of the dots are 2, 3 or 4-year-olds with scores that are not on the Cattell scale.
Girls and boys in the stories, by age
Children with an age in the stories (72 of 74); the median age is 11. British Mensa tests children from 10 and a half; under-10s qualify with a psychologist's report.
Source: IQ Metrics Research count of news stories; minimum age: British Mensa [4]
Data table
| age_band | Girls | Boys |
|---|---|---|
| 16-17 | 2 | 1 |
| 13-15 | 9 | 3 |
| 12 | 8 | 6 |
| 11 | 14 | 12 |
| 10 | 2 | 6 |
| Under 10 | 5 | 4 |
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A very high score at 11 says a child reasons well for their age today. It does not say what they will do. The longest study of high-IQ children, Terman’s 1,528 “Termites”, tested a future Nobel physicist who missed its cut-off. For what parents can look for, see signs of a gifted child and why a single number misses children; for the society itself, Mensa by the numbers.
09 Where do the stories run?
In 40 countries. UK outlets ran 89 of the stories, Indian outlets 66 and US outlets 65. 53 stories ran in local papers and 8 came from wire services; national and foreign sites carried the rest.
Where the stories ran: 40 countries
Stories per country of the outlet that published them. The children are almost all in the UK; the result travels through wire services and syndication.
Source: IQ Metrics Research count of news stories, 2007-2026
Data table
| country | iso2 | value |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | GB | 89 |
| India | IN | 66 |
| United States | US | 65 |
| Australia | AU | 10 |
| United Arab Emirates | AE | 5 |
| Argentina | AR | 5 |
| Singapore | SG | 4 |
| Russia | RU | 4 |
| Colombia | CO | 4 |
| Canada | CA | 3 |
| Italy | IT | 3 |
| Mexico | MX | 3 |
| Romania | RO | 3 |
| Bangladesh | BD | 2 |
| Hungary | HU | 2 |
| Vietnam | VN | 2 |
| Chile | CL | 2 |
| South Africa | ZA | 2 |
| Pakistan | PK | 2 |
| Philippines | PH | 2 |
| Sri Lanka | LK | 2 |
| Germany | DE | 2 |
| Egypt | EG | 2 |
| Ecuador | EC | 2 |
| France | FR | 2 |
| Hong Kong | HK | 2 |
| Uzbekistan | UZ | 2 |
| Portugal | PT | 2 |
| Brazil | BR | 2 |
| South Korea | KR | 1 |
| Kenya | KE | 1 |
| Armenia | AM | 1 |
| Nepal | NP | 1 |
| Ireland | IE | 1 |
| Malaysia | MY | 1 |
| Taiwan | TW | 1 |
| Slovenia | SI | 1 |
| Bahrain | BH | 1 |
| Greece | GR | 1 |
| Sweden | SE | 1 |
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Your score on the usual scale
Our IQ test reports your result on the usual scale (mean 100, SD 15), with the percentile next to it.
Take the IQ test10 How should a newsroom report a Mensa score?
- Name the test. Only 28% of the stories did. “162 on the Cattell III B” tells readers which scale it is.
- Say it is the top score. 162 is the maximum for under-18s, so it means “at least this high”.
- Give the usual-scale number. 162 on the Cattell III B is about 139 on the scale used for most IQ tests.
- Leave Einstein out, or say he never took a test. His 160 is a guess on a different scale.
- Credit the source: “IQ Metrics Research, Higher IQ Than Einstein? (2026)” with a link to this page.
11 Every child in the count
Every child in the count (no names)
One row per child, by the year of the first story. Stories = how many outlets we found that ran it. "Says it is the top score" = at least one story said so. "Beats Einstein" = at least one story said the child beat Einstein or Hawking. Lives in: the country the stories give.
| C001 | 2007 | Girl, 14 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | No | No |
| C002 | 2009 | Boy, 2 | GB | 160 | Other test or report | 1 | Yes | No |
| C003 | 2010 | Boy, 16 | GB | 161 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 2 | No | Yes |
| C004 | 2011 | Girl, 14 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | No | Yes |
| C005 | 2011 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 5 | No | Yes |
| C006 | 2012 | Girl, 4 | GB | 159 | Other test or report | 4 | No | No |
| C007 | 2012 | Boy, 2 | CA | 154 | Other test or report | 1 | No | No |
| C008 | 2012 | Girl, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 4 | No | Yes |
| C009 | 2013 | Girl, 3 | GB | 162 | Other test or report | 1 | No | No |
| C010 | 2013 | Girl, 16 | GB | 161 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 7 | No | Yes |
| C011 | 2013 | Girl, 13 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 10 | Yes | Yes |
| C012 | 2013 | Boy, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C013 | 2013 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 6 | Yes | Yes |
| C014 | 2013 | Girl, 15 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C015 | 2014 | Girl, 3 | US | 160 | Other test or report | 1 | No | Yes |
| C016 | 2014 | Girl, 13 | GB | 160 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | No |
| C017 | 2014 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 11 | Yes | Yes |
| C018 | 2014 | Boy, 14 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| C019 | 2015 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| C020 | 2015 | Boy, 10 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | No |
| C021 | 2015 | Girl, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 10 | Yes | Yes |
| C022 | 2015 | Girl, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 29 | Yes | Yes |
| C023 | 2015 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | No |
| C024 | 2016 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 16 | Yes | Yes |
| C025 | 2016 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C026 | 2016 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| C027 | 2016 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C028 | 2016 | Boy, 10 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C029 | 2016 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | No |
| C030 | 2016 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C031 | 2016 | Girl, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C032 | 2017 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | No | Yes |
| C033 | 2017 | Girl, 11 | IE | 162 | Other test or report | 1 | No | Yes |
| C034 | 2017 | Girl, ? | GB | 162 | Other test or report | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C035 | 2017 | Girl, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 11 | Yes | Yes |
| C036 | 2017 | Boy, 14 | GB | 161 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | No |
| C037 | 2017 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 8 | Yes | Yes |
| C038 | 2017 | Boy, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | No | Yes |
| C039 | 2017 | Boy, 13 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | No |
| C040 | 2017 | Girl, 14 | GB | 161 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C041 | 2018 | Boy, 10 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 9 | Yes | Yes |
| C042 | 2018 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C043 | 2018 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C044 | 2018 | Girl, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| C045 | 2019 | Girl, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 5 | Yes | Yes |
| C046 | 2019 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 12 | Yes | Yes |
| C047 | 2019 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 4 | Yes | No |
| C048 | 2019 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 4 | Yes | Yes |
| C049 | 2019 | Boy, ? | GB | 161 | Other test or report | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C050 | 2019 | Girl, 10 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 5 | Yes | Yes |
| C051 | 2020 | Girl, 13 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C052 | 2020 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C053 | 2020 | Girl, 16 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | No |
| C054 | 2020 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | No |
| C055 | 2021 | Girl, 13 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 5 | Yes | Yes |
| C056 | 2021 | Girl, 3 | GB | 142 | Other test or report | 2 | No | No |
| C057 | 2021 | Girl, 2 | US | 146 | Other test or report | 1 | No | No |
| C058 | 2021 | Boy, 10 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 3 | Yes | Yes |
| C059 | 2021 | Girl, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | No | Yes |
| C060 | 2021 | Boy, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 8 | Yes | Yes |
| C061 | 2022 | Boy, 10 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 2 | Yes | Yes |
| C062 | 2022 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 10 | Yes | Yes |
| C063 | 2022 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 24 | Yes | Yes |
| C064 | 2022 | Girl, 10 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 3 | No | Yes |
| C065 | 2022 | Boy, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C066 | 2023 | Girl, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 6 | Yes | Yes |
| C067 | 2023 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 7 | Yes | Yes |
| C068 | 2023 | Boy, 6 | US | 138 | Other test or report | 3 | No | No |
| C069 | 2024 | Boy, 12 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 10 | Yes | Yes |
| C070 | 2024 | Boy, 12 | GB | 160 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 2 | Yes | No |
| C071 | 2024 | Boy, 11 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | No | Yes |
| C072 | 2024 | Boy, 10 | GB | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 13 | Yes | Yes |
| C073 | 2025 | Girl, 13 | ? | 162 | Mensa (Cattell III B) | 1 | Yes | Yes |
| C074 | 2025 | Boy, 8 | US | 159 | Other test or report | 1 | No | No |
Source: IQ Metrics Research count of news stories, 2007-2026
12 How we counted
- 01
Search widely
We searched news sites and search engines in English and other languages for stories on a child’s Mensa or IQ score next to Einstein or Hawking, year by year from 2000, outlet by outlet (UK, US, Indian, Gulf, Australian and Irish media) and through round-ups that list other children. Earlier pieces explained single cases [7] [6]; we found no earlier count.
- 02
Open every story
A story counts only if we opened it, or an archived copy, and read its date, the child’s age, the score and what it claims. Syndicated copies on other sites count as separate stories about the same child. Links we could not open are kept out.
- 03
Record facts only
For each story: date, outlet, outlet country, the child’s age and sex, the score, the test named, whether it says the child beats or equals Einstein or Hawking, whether it says the score is the maximum, and whether it explains the scale.
- 04
Name no child
Names were used only to group stories about the same child and are not published. The children appear as C001, C002 and so on.
- 05
Convert the scores
A Cattell III B score (SD 24) is moved to the usual scale (SD 15) at the same percentile: 100 + (score – 100) x 15 / 24. Scores from other tests are left as reported.
Read every number with these in mind
- The count is a floor. Many local and foreign stories are offline, behind paywalls or blocked to automated reading; 96 more links we found could not be opened and are not counted.
- Ages and scores are as the stories report them. Where stories about one child disagree, the child table uses the most common value.
- The conversion assumes a normal curve and uses Mensa’s published scale. It shows the same rank, not the same test.
- Children under 10 and the cases outside the UK took other tests, usually on SD 15. Their scores are not converted.
- A story that does not explain the scale may still be accurate; we count only what the text says.
Sources
- HuffPost UK. Boy, 11, has a higher IQ than Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking (quotes the test's maximum: 161 for adults, 162 for under-18s). 2016. www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/kian-hamer-mensa-high-score-test_uk_56e930c9e4b096ed3adc8ad7Facts cited
- TODAY (NBC News). Spector, N. Lydia Sebastian, 12, gets top IQ score on Mensa test, but she's not alone (British Mensa's Ann Clarkson on the 156-162 band and on Einstein's 160). 2015. www.today.com/money/lydia-sebastian-12-gets-top-iq-score-mensa-test-she-t43461Facts and short quotes cited
- Mensa International. What is IQ? (standard deviation of 16 or 24 points; top 2% = 148 on the Cattell scale). 2026. www.mensa.org/what-is-iqFacts cited
- British Mensa. IQ testing and puzzles (minimum age 10 and a half; prior evidence for younger children), read 30 October 2026. 2026. mensa.org.uk/test-your-iqFacts cited
- The New York Times Magazine. Solomon, D. The Science of Second-Guessing (interview with Stephen Hawking). New York Times Magazine, 12 December 2004, p. 37. 2004. www.nytimes.com/2004/12/12/magazine/the-science-of-secondguessing.htmlShort quote cited
- Rappler. Rappler fact check (2019): a viral claim that a girl's Mensa score beat Einstein and Hawking, rated misleading. 2019. www.rappler.com/?p=234595Facts cited
- IFLScience. Is this 12-year-old girl really smarter than Einstein? (an explainer, no count). 2015. www.iflscience.com/did-12-year-old-girl-really-achieve-higher-iq-einstein-30599Facts cited
Version history
- 2026.1030 October 2026First release.
Leon Falkner, Data & Research Analyst. Leon owns the arithmetic on IQ Metrics: the percentile tables, the score converter and the figures in everyone else's drafts. On the research desk Leon pulls the data, builds each index and writes the method. More about Leon.
Questions
Does a 162 on the Mensa test mean a higher IQ than Einstein?
No. 162 is the highest score British Mensa's Cattell III B test gives anyone under 18, and that test uses a wider scale (SD 24). On the usual IQ scale it is about 139. Einstein never took an IQ test; his 160 is a guess.
What is the highest score on the Mensa test?
On British Mensa's supervised Cattell III B test the maximum is 161 for adults and 162 for under-18s. Scores at the top mean "at least this high", because the test cannot go further.
What was Einstein's IQ?
Unknown. There is no record that Einstein took an IQ test. The 160 often quoted is a later estimate from his work, which British Mensa has called "a bit of an urban myth".
What was Stephen Hawking's IQ?
Unknown. Asked in 2004, Hawking said he had no idea and that "people who boast about their IQ are losers". The 160 quoted for him is a guess, like Einstein's.
What is 162 IQ on the normal scale?
About 139. A 162 on the Cattell III B (SD 24) is the 99.5th percentile; the same percentile on the usual scale (SD 15) is 138.8.
How old do you have to be to take the Mensa test?
British Mensa tests people from 10 and a half. Younger children can join with a full educational psychologist's report or another professionally given IQ test.
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Cite this study
Version 2026.10. Citing the version lets readers find the exact numbers.
Archived copy with a DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23909518 (report PDF and data on Zenodo).
Falkner, L. (2026). Higher IQ than Einstein? Every "162" Mensa child in the news, counted (Version 2026.10) [Data set]. IQ Metrics Research. https://iqmetrics.org/research/higher-iq-than-einstein/ (DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23909518)
Falkner, Leon. "Higher IQ than Einstein? Every "162" Mensa child in the news, counted." IQ Metrics Research, 30 Oct. 2026, iqmetrics.org/research/higher-iq-than-einstein/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23909518.
Falkner, Leon. "Higher IQ than Einstein? Every "162" Mensa child in the news, counted." IQ Metrics Research. October 30, 2026. https://iqmetrics.org/research/higher-iq-than-einstein/. DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.23909518.
@misc{iqmetrics2026higheriqthaneinstein, author = {Falkner, Leon}, title = {Higher IQ than Einstein? Every "162" Mensa child in the news, counted}, institution = {IQ Metrics}, year = {2026}, version = {2026.10}, doi = {10.5281/zenodo.23909518}, url = {https://iqmetrics.org/research/higher-iq-than-einstein/} }
Source: Leon Falkner, "Higher IQ than Einstein? Every "162" Mensa child in the news, counted." IQ Metrics Research, version 2026.10, https://iqmetrics.org/research/higher-iq-than-einstein/ (DOI 10.5281/zenodo.23909518)
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Get the data
One row per news story (307) about 74 children: date, outlet, outlet country and type, link, the child’s age, sex and country, the score, the score on the usual SD-15 scale where it is a Cattell III B score, the test named, what the story claims about Einstein or Hawking, and whether it says the score is the maximum or explains the scale. No names.
| Column | What it holds |
|---|---|
story_id, case_id | Our story number (S001 …) and child number (C001 …); stories about one child share a case_id |
pub_date, outlet, outlet_country, outlet_type, url | When and where the story ran, with the link |
child_age, child_sex, child_country | As the story reports them |
score_reported, score_on_sd15_scale | The score as reported, and the same percentile on the usual scale (Cattell III B scores only) |
test_named | Cattell III B, "Mensa test unnamed" or another test |
says_higher_than, comparison | Who the child is compared with (Einstein, Hawking, both, none) and how (higher, same, below, none) |
mentions_ceiling, mentions_scale | Whether the story says the score is the maximum, and whether it explains the wider scale |
mensa_country, headline_has_einstein | Which Mensa tested the child; whether Einstein is in the headline |
For journalists, researchers and teachers
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Summary you can paste
Plain news style. Edit freely; keep the credit.
IQ Metrics Research counted every news story it could open that compared a child's IQ test score with Einstein or Hawking: at least 307 stories about 74 children, July 2007 to June 2026, in 202 outlets in 40 countries. 91% of the stories with a score give 162, the highest score British Mensa's Cattell III B test gives under-18s. That test uses a standard deviation of 24, so 162 equals about 139 on the usual IQ scale (SD 15). 65% of the stories say 162 is the maximum, but only 3 explain the scale. Einstein never took an IQ test. Source: IQ Metrics Research, https://iqmetrics.org/research/higher-iq-than-einstein/
Angles for a story
- 9 in 10 “higher than Einstein” children scored the same 162: the test’s ceiling (Figure 3).
- 162 on the Mensa test is about 139 on the usual IQ scale (Figure 4).
- Only 3 of 307 stories explained it (Figure 5).
- Girls outnumber boys 41 to 33 among the children in the news (Figure 6).
- One result, 29 outlets: how a local story goes global (Figure 7).
Quotes you can use
Attributable as written, with the name and title. For a different angle or a quote on a specific figure, ask through the contact page.
Almost every “smarter than Einstein” child scored 162 because that is where the test stops. It is a brilliant result, and it is about 139 on the scale Einstein’s 160 comes from.
Leon Falkner, Data & Research Analyst, IQ Metrics ResearchOf 307 stories, 3 explained the scale. The number travels; the context does not.
Leon Falkner, Data & Research Analyst, IQ Metrics ResearchEinstein never sat an IQ test. Comparing a child’s real score with his guessed one says more about headlines than about either of them.
Leon Falkner, Data & Research Analyst, IQ Metrics Research
Files
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Terms, contact and corrections
Credit: “IQ Metrics Research, Higher IQ Than Einstein? (2026)” with a link to this page. On air or in print, “IQ Metrics” and the page address are enough.
What it counts: news stories we could open that compared a child’s IQ score with Einstein or Hawking. It is a floor, not a census. No child is named in our data.
Contact: the research team, through the contact page. Corrections are made on this page with a dated note in the version history.
