When Jacob Barnett was 2 years old, he was diagnosed with moderate to severe autism. Doctors told his parents that the boy would likely never talk or read and would probably be forever unable to independently manage basic daily activities like tying his shoe laces.
But they were sorely, extraordinarily mistaken.
Today, Barnett -- now 14 -- is a Master's student, on his way to earning a PhD in quantum physics. According to the BBC, the teen, who boasts an IQ of 170, has already been tipped to one day win the Nobel Prize.
Today, Barnett -- now 14 -- is a Master's student, on his way to earning a PhD in quantum physics. According to the BBC, the teen, who boasts an IQ of 170, has already been Since enrolling at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) at the age of 10, Barnett has flourished -- astounding his professors, peers and family with his spectacular intelligence.
The teen tutors other college students in subjects like calculus and is a published scientific researcher, with an IQ that is believed to be higher than that of Albert Einstein. In fact, according to a 2011 TIME report, Barnett, who frequently tops his college classes, has asserted that he may one day disprove Einstein's Theory of Relativity. (Watch him explain his genius to 60 minutes' Morley Safer in a 2012 interview in the video above.)
Outside of his rigorous university commitments, Barnett, who has Asperger's Syndrome, is also an entrepreneur and aspiring author.
The teen, who, with his family, runs a charity called Jacob's Place for kids on the spectrum, has used his story to raise awareness and dispel myths about autism.
“I'm not supposed to be here at all,” he said last year during a TEDx Teen speech about "forgetting what you know" in New York City. “You know, I was told that I wouldn't talk. There's probably a therapist watching who is freaking out right now.”
Though he makes it all look so easy, his mother, Kristine Barnett, says that he has to work hard on a daily basis to handle his autism.
“He overcomes it every day. There are things he knows about himself that he regulates everyday,” his mother told the Indianapolis Star last month.
In April, Kristine Barnett's memoir about her family's experience with autism, "The Spark: A Mother's Story of Nurturing Genius," was released. A movie deal is said to be in the works.
“I hope it really inspires children to actually be doing something,” Barnett told the Star of his mom's book and potential film. “[I hope it] encourages them to do what they like doing. I just hope it is inspirational.”
Source: Huffington Post
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Genius is demonstrated in your works, not your test scores. He has a high IQ, but that is only a small part of true genius.
ReplyDeleteYou seem a little jealous there my friend...
DeleteAgreed
ReplyDeletesimply brilliant. the kid says he only wants to use his talents to help other people. i see a very bright future ahead of this young genius. all the best for life.
ReplyDeleteWow... jealous much?
ReplyDeleteSo...vaccines give us superpowers? :O
ReplyDeleteSo agree with ya there, my son was talking until his 6 months vaccines.but then silence, and now speech therapy. Comprehends every thing, knows every word. But only limited speech. He is 3 now, and we work very hard with him. His little life should not be so strenuous..and he should not have to struggle to communicate. Thank goodness for sign language...
DeleteRare gift,wish him all the best
ReplyDeleteThose with Aspergers have a different brain structure. Genius is often the reward for those who must struggle in a world of neurotypicals. Einstein, by the way, could not tie his shoes. It is indeed a gift.
ReplyDeleteWow I have three boys with Aspergers! Love them to death!!
ReplyDeleteWell said Captian Envy
ReplyDeleteHappy for this family ... certainly wish all Autism stories turned out like this.
ReplyDeleteThe Kid is simply Brilliant but if his main aim to to disapprove Einstein's Famous theory, shows more of an inflated Ego which doesn't always end well. Let's wait and see what contributions he does make for mankind in the area of Knowledge creation and problem solving.
ReplyDeletecouldnt the little fuck leave einstein alone....
ReplyDeleteLeave aspies alone you dumbarse therapists what do you know! We have completely different development cycles and can be, quite easily, the leaders of this world. Provided so many of these dumbarse, human nature related obstacles and the concept of the "autistic spectrum" where autistic and things such as dyslexia and dyspraxia are not all related. Each thing is a delusion in a humans mind, the human nature, the general personality of each conformist individual is something that needs to be dealt with individually. And the laziness of the researchers at NAS (national autistic society) who do know that the concept is a lie!!! It truly angers me. Just fucking sign the death warrent of the human race why don't you cunts.
ReplyDeleteSomeone please reply and tag NAS. And also, all insanely intelligent high functioning autistics please try and help psychologists understand the condition because they obviously are entirely at fault. Its all a great big learning process though, and i don't hold grudges...
It's amazing, what the boy is capable of. But it is also sad, that aspies are so often only measured by their intelligence. Highly smart kids get all the applause and yes, they deserve it. But what of the others?
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is 14, and she SUFFERS of autism. She is smart, smarter than the average child.She reads up to 40-50 books a week - everything from fairy stories to Goethe's Faust. But she doesn't understand maths and she is completely unable to learn a foreign language. (By the way, I'm German, I hope anyone may understand what I'm writing here and there are not to many mistakes). My daughter forgets numbers and vocabulary 3 seconds after seeing them and she is scared to death of computers. As she is of strangers, new situations, the future, life, everything ... She is no genius, she is just a girl living in a world that wasn't built for her. And no, she can't lace her shoes. My daughter is often sad, school is her daily nightmare. But she isn't handicapped enough to get the help that is meant for disabled people. The sunny side of her autism is, that she considers suicide as illogical because no one can grant her that there isn't a life after death that might be more unpleasant than the life before. Stick with the pain you already know, it can always get worse.
So what I want to say is: I'm truly glad for this boy that he made it and proved the therapist wrong. It is a good thing to let the world know that aspies can be a lot smarter than the so-called healthy people. But please, don't forget during the celebration of autism-power those who are really weak and in need of help.
The reply button doesn't work but thanks anonymous, this is a message from the anonymous that commented before your message. I think in part she understands what life is about is how shes tackling things (kicking people out of life gives time for other things i.e.) She'll get over these fears eventually when she realizes it's what life is all about. An aspie, I think is someone who just wants to use their mind to benefit the world at what they think they are good at, whilst acting completely faustian (funny how I learnt that word earlier today and you use it in your comment too) in order to complete said goal, especially during the developmental stage. The way I see it, everyone has a mind, not everyone's willing to use it, aspies later in life develop these things if they can. Let your daughter flourish, she's definitely on the right path but realize what her goals are, understand how to get there and help her get there as quickly as possible, because intellectuals in the subject will be able to show the lifestyle that one must take on to achieve what you want out of life.
ReplyDeletePlease do not trust these therapists too much. If you are reading this you are already further ahead than 80% of the poor families that do not have the mindset necessary to outthink a therapist that is on the wrong track. This happened to me and I suffer to this day from the mental fuck ups induced by pharmaceutical therapy combined with misled beavioural therapy.
ReplyDeleteWhen it comes to neuropharmacologic treatments for YOUR CHILDREN - assume somebody doesn't know what they are doing and very carefully examine if there no other options to try first. You kid, if it survives this treatment, may either get back to you on the torture it incurred or simply lead a miserable life....