A 12-year-old student from Devon, Rory Bidwell, has gained entry into Mensa after achieving an impressive IQ score higher than both Albert Einstein and Stephen Hawking. Rory, hailing from
Great Torrington in rural North Devon, scored the maximum possible 162 for his age group on the Cattell III B test, as reported by the North Devon Gazette.
Surpassing the reported scores of 160 by renowned physicists Einstein and Hawking, Rory caught the attention of Mensa, a high IQ society that only admits individuals with scores in the top 2 percent of the population. Mensa is a non-profit organization that opens its doors to those who achieve scores at or above the 98th percentile on approved intelligence tests.
Rory took the test just two weeks after turning 12 and has since joined Mensa. According to his mother, Abi Bidwell, Rory approached the two-hour test without any prior preparation, even taking a leisurely stroll to the toilet during one section. His relaxed attitude, unaware of the test's seriousness, helped him navigate the questions without anxiety, completing them unprepared.
Ms. Bidwell praised Rory's exceptional brain, describing him as capable of working out complex problems and memorizing information. Despite his intellectual prowess, Rory, a grade seven student at Great Torrington school, remains a typical 12-year-old who occasionally needs reminders to focus.
Rory's early achievements include solving 100-piece puzzles at the age of two and mastering 7th-level algebra by second grade. During the 2020 Coronavirus lockdown, he read all seven Harry Potter books in eight weeks. Alongside his academic achievements, Rory is an avid sports enthusiast, participating in cross-country, football, and rugby, earning recognition such as the 'player of the year' title for the Torridgeside football team. He actively competes with the Torridgeside swimming club.
Notably, Rory is not the only child to surpass famous intellectuals. Last year, 11-year-old Yusuf Shah from Leeds received a Mensa invitation with a score of 162. Jacob Barnett, diagnosed with autism, achieved an IQ of 170 at the age of 12 in 2011. Photo by Mensa International, Wikimedia commons.