Top 50 Geniuses Of All Time - [In A Random Order]
Posted by Drew | : Boost Brain Power
1) Albert Einstein - Albert Einstein is a name that comes to mind first when thinking of geniuses. Einstein’s brain was found to be deficient in certain parts, but extraordinarily powerful in others. Another trait of Albert’s brain was the fact that he had a much larger corpus callosum than the average man. The corpus callosum connects the right and left hemispheres and allows them to successfully transfer information back and forth (communicate with one another). Einstein has received the Nobel Prize in physics, was named “Person Of The Century” by Time Magazine, and has contributed phenomenal theories to the world of science (i.e. theory of relativity, unique field theory, etc).
2) Leonardo Da Vinci - Leonardo Da Vinci is considered one of the best painters of all time and possibly the most multi-talented man to have ever lived! Two of his works include: The Last Super & The Mona Lisa. Da Vinci was truly ahead of his time with ideas such as: a helicopter, a tank, solar power, a calculator, and a theory of plate tectonics. Leonardo was a unique individual who exercised the curiosity of his powerful brain.
3) Nikola Tesla- Tesla was a renowned physicist, inventor, and engineer. He has made phenomenal contributions to science and has been classified as the “world’s greatest electrical engineer.” Nikola engaged in studying many works, memorizing complete books, and supposedly had a photographic memory. Tesla had above average brain power and was an advanced thinker when compared to others of his time.
4) Sir Isaac Newton - Sir Isaac Newton was an astronomer astronomer, physicist, inventor, mathematician, and philosopher. In a 2005 poll, Newton was named more influential than Einstein in science. He has developed laws of motion, principles of momentum, and invented the reflecting telescope. Newton has had tons of great scientific achievements. His diverse list of scientific and mathematic accomplishments demonstrate the incredible ability of his brain.
5) Stephen Hawking - Hawking is known best for his theories of black holes, cosmology, and quantum gravity. He has also written several bestselling books such as: “A Brief History Of Time” and “The Universe In A Nutshell.” Though Stephen is currently bound to a wheelchair due to paralysis from Lou Gehrig’s disease (ALS). Hawking has been recognized as a revolutionary thinker and one who displays above average intelligence.
6) Michelangelo - Michelangelo was a phenomenal painter, sculptor, architect, and poet. His diverse interest in art and the world really showed. He sculpted the Pieta and the David before he was 30 years old! He painted the Sistine Chapel and worked on the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Michelangelo was a genius that was able to bring an entirely new artistic perspective from his mind to reality.
7) Archimedes - Archimedes was a Greek philosopher, engineer, inventor and astronomer. He is also considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. Though there isn’t a ton of documented information regarding his personal life, we do know that he has had a large impact on science and physics. Archimedes’ thoughts were clearly ahead of his time: not many would disagree that he was a genius.
8) Warren Buffet - Though Warren Buffet isn’t a big contributor to science like many other names listed, he does have a ton of knowledge about making money through investing. He is a known philanthropist (someone who donates their time & money for charitable causes) and Time Magazine has regarded Buffet as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in the world. He was also ranked by Forbes in 2008 as the richest person in the world. His company [Berkshire Hathaway] has an estimated net worth of $62 billion dollars. Warren is a very intelligent man and a financial genius.
9) Swami Vivekananda - In the Eastern world, Swami Vivekananda is regarded as a genius by many. He was one of the most influential and spiritual leaders ever and was a highly-renowned thinker. Because of his insight and unique philosophy that he had contributed to eastern religions, his knowledge and intellect will continue to be admired.
10) Samuel Johnson - Samuel Johnson is regarded as one of the biggest literary influences of all time. He was a biographer, critic, and essayist. Johnson is the highest quoted author since William Shakespeare and was one of the most influential people in the 18th century. The man invented and compiled terms for what many consider the first official dictionary.
11) Immanuel Kant - Immanuel Kant was an 18th-century philosopher from Russia. He has been considered one of the most influential thinkers of all time in Europe. Kant brought forth a unique theory of perception and thought deeply about life. Many regard Kant as a genius of his time.
12) Aristotle - Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, student of Plato and one who taught Alexander the Great. Aristotle became a great writer and is regarded as one of the most important and influential figures towards shaping Western philosophy. His works were the first to ever study “logic” and he had a profound influence on others during his time.
13) Pablo Picasso - Though Picasso may not have been an amazing scientist, his revolutionary mind forever changed the way people looked at art. He was a master drawer, painter, and sculptor. He founded “cubism” - an art style which became a huge movement in the 20th century. Pablo Picasso’s unique perception, which he expressed through his art, caused many people to view reality from a different perspective.
14) Niles Bohr - Niels Bohr was a phenomenal physicist and a highly advanced thinker. He invented the Bohr Model which is regarded as a huge contribution to atomic physics. Bohr was heavily involved with post World War II scientific issues and carried a great head on his shoulders.
15) Thomas Jefferson - Thomas Jefferson was a very brilliant individual. He was the 3rd president of the United States, wrote The Declaration Of Independence, and was the most influential Founding Father for the U.S. He influenced the republican party and was a horticulturist, statesman, architect, author and inventor. Jefferson was the founder of the University of Virginia and understood that slavery was unethical in a time when most everyone else thought it was proper. Thomas Jefferson was definitely had an exceptional brain.
16) Plato - Plato was a Greek philosopher that was taught by Socrates, but taught Aristotle. Along with Socrates and Aristotle, Plato helped lay the groundwork for Western philosophy. He was known to be a mathematician, great writer, and founded “the Academy” or “institute of higher education and learning,” in Athens. His works in philosophy, logic, and mathematics, were studied and used by many teachers after his time. Not only was Plato a revolutionary thinker, he was a genius of his time.
17) Winston Churchill - Winston Churchill was a rightfully famous British politician during World War II. He is well-known for his abilities as a great leader, speaker, officer in the British Army, a historical writer, and an artist. Churchill became a hero of his time and is considered one of the most intelligent men of his time.
18) Benjamin Franklin - Benjamin Franklin was one of the Founding Fathers of the U.S., an author, and a printer. He was also a great politician, inventor, and scientist. Benjamin Franklin’s scientific contributions have shaped physics and the field of electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, the odometer, and the glass harmonica. Franklin created the first public lending library in the United States and first fire department in the city of Pennsylvania. Ben Franklin was a true genius of his time.
19) Thomas Edison - Thomas Edison was a great inventor and businessman who created many appliances that have had profound influence on life around the world. A couple of his inventions are: the phonograph and a long lasting light bulb. Jefferson was also one of the first inventors to apply the idea of “mass production” to the invention process. Many give Jefferson credit with creating the first ever industrial research lab. He is considered one of the most gifted inventors ever and holds over 1,000 United States patents. Edison truly added his touch of genius to the scientific community.
20) Daniel Tammet - Daniel Tammet is a high-functioning autistic savant. He has been gifted with a knack for mathematics, language learning, and above average memorization skills. He was featured on a discovery channel special that tested his abilities and showed his ability to learn arguably the toughest language, Icelandic, in less than 7 days to appear in an interview. Daniel has an incredible brain and was gifted with an above-average intellect.
21) William Shakespeare - William Shakespeare was a poet, playwright, and has been hailed “the greatest writer” in the English language and the worlds best dramatist. He has been deemed the national poet of England and his works include: nearly 40 plays, around 150 sonnets, and 2 long poems. Shakespeare’s plays have been translated into every language, and are performed more often than any other playwright. Shakespeare shed his genius-like thoughts through his complex storytelling.
22) Kim Peek - Though Kim Peek is a savant, he has some exceptional brain abilities. He is lacking a functional corpus callosum (which makes it impossible for his right and left brain hemispheres to exchange information) and has a damaged cerebellum. Without a corpus callosum, some develop above average memory abilities. In Kim Peek’s case, he can read a new book in about 1 hour and manages to retain over 98% of the information within the book! Impressive.
23) Ludwig van Beethoven - Beethoven was a German pianist and legendary musician. He was very influential in Western classical music and is thought of as the best composer of all time. Though Beethoven’s hearing began to cease in his early twenties, he was still able to create classical masterpieces. He was able to conduct, compose, and perform music even after he was completely deaf! Beethoven blessed the world with his musical genius and brilliant mind.
24) Srinivasa Ramanujan - Srinivasa was an Indian mathematician who was able to make huge contributions in the area of mathematical analysis and number theory. Srinivasa demonstrated an uncanny, natural ability to master mathematics. He had a complete math book mastered by 13, and even discovered theorems of his own. He won many awards by showing others his superior mathematical ability at his school. By age 17, this mathematical prodigy was doing his own research with mathematics and numbers. He compiled nearly 4,000 equations and identities in his short lifetime.
25) Johann Sebastian Bach - Bach was an exceptional composer and organist. He specialized in choir, orchestra, and solo instruments. He was able to enrich the German composing style with a full harmonic scale and was able to adapt rhythms from Italy and France.
26) Wolfgang Amedeus Mozart - Mozart was a very influential composer during the classical era. He was able to create over 600 compositions that were widely accepted and acknowledged. His music specialties included symphony, chamber music, piano, opera, and choral music. Mozart is among the most popular of classical composers, and many of his works are still included in concerts today. Mozart clearly demonstrated his musical proficiency and level of genius.
27) Sir Francis Drake - Drake was a famous traveler, navigator, and politician from England. He managed to circumnavigate the world in 1577 and has been proclaimed a legend in England. Drake was an exceptionally smart individual and had an estimated I.Q. of 130. Sir Francis was a powerful man that happened to have an incredibly powerful brain.
28) George Berkeley - George Berkeley was an Irish philosopher and developed a famous theory of “immaterialism.” Berkeley also published a book called “The Analyst” that would critique calculus and influence common day mathematics. University Of California, Berkeley was named after George due to his intelligence and philosophical insight.
29) Ludwig Wittgenstein - Ludwig was an Austrian philosopher that developed theories involving logic. He contributed to the philosophy of mathematics, philosophy of language, and philosophy of the mind. He has had a huge influence on philosophy and is widely accepted as one of the twentieth century’s best philosophers. Wittengenstein published 2 books and both were highly influential in philosophy.
30) Socrates - Socrates is regarded as one of the best ancient greek philosophers of all time. As teacher of Plato, he has been associated with highly advanced thinking during his time. His work continues to form much of the foundation for the study of philosophy today. Socrates has made important contributions to the study of logic and writings, and has provided a lot of groundwork that much of the Western civilization has followed.
31) Linus Pauling - Linus Pauling was a peace activist, scientist, author, and teacher. Pauling is regarded as one of the most influential chemists in history and was one of the most important scientists of all time. He was one of the pioneers to work in the study of molecular biology and quantum chemistry. He has been awarded more than 1 Nobel Prize and is one of only 2 individuals to receive them for different fields.
32) Christopher Michael Langan - Christopher Langan is an American with an IQ was reported by “20/20″ and other media sources to have been measured at nearly 200. Though he used to work as a bouncer in Long Island, he rose to fame as “the smartest man in America” in 1999.
33) Michael Faraday - Michael Faraday was a phenomenal chemist and physicist who contributed to the fields of electrochemistry and electromagnetics. His inventions of electromagnetic devices formed the foundation of electric motor technology, and it was largely due to his efforts that electricity became available for use in technology.
34) Blaise Pascal - Blaise Pascal was a French physicist, religious philosopher, and great mathematician. Pascal was a child prodigy and was taught a lot by his father. Pascal’s contributions included: mechanical calculators, concepts of pressure, concepts of vacuum, and the study of fluids. In literature, Pascal is regarded as one of the most important authors of the French classical period. His name (Pascal) has been given to the SI unit of pressure, some programming language, and Pascal’s law.
35) Galileo Galilei - Galileo Galilei was a legendery astronomer, physicist, mathematician, and philosopher. He played a major role in the scientific revolution. His achievements include the first studies of uniformly accelerated motion, improvements to the telescope, and astronomical observations. Galileo has been called the “father of modern observational astronomy”, the “father of modern physics”, the “father of science”, and “the Father of Modern Science.” With his discoveries and studies, Galileo was able to display his brilliance.
36) Martin Luther - Martin Luther was a German professor, a monk, theologian, and church reformer.
37) Robert Boyle - Was a natural philosopher, chemist, physicist, inventor, and early gentleman scientist. Boyle was largely known for his works in physics and chemistry. He is best known for the creation of “Boyle’s law.” Boyle is recognized today as one of the first modern chemists and one of the founding fathers of chemistry. One of his works, “The Sceptical Chymist” is viewed as a legendary book in the field of chemistry.
38) John Locke - John Locke was a phenomenal English philosopher. Locke’s ideas had a huge influence on the development of political philosophy and he is considered one of the most influential thinkers during the Enlightenment and one of the biggest contibutors to liberal theory. Locke’s influence is reflected in the American Declaration of Independence. Locke was the first philosopher to define the self through a continuity of “consciousness.” John Locke was an independent thinker and among the greatest philosophers.
39) Charles Darwin - Charles Darwin was a naturalist and geologist who proposed that all species of life have evolved over time. The fact that evolution occurs became accepted by the scientific community and the general public.
40) Johannes Kepler - Kepler was a German mathematician, astronomer, and astrologer. He was a huge influence towards the astronomical revolution of the 17th century. Kepler is best known for his laws of planetary motion. His laws also provided one of the foundations for Isaac Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. Kepler is regarded as a man with revolutionary thoughts towards astronomy.
41) Napoleon Bonaparte - Napoleon Bonaparte was a political and French military leader who had a huge influence on European history. Napoleon was a general during the French Revolution, Emperor of France, King of Italy, and Mediator of the Swiss. Napoleon was a very intelligent military leader who used innovative tactics and strategy to help him win many battles.
42) Garry Kasparov - Garry Kasparov was a former World Chess Champion, writer, and political activist. Kasparov was a candidate for the Russian presidential race of 2008.
43) John Stuart Mill - John Stuart Mill largely influenced British thought and politics in the 19th century. His large number of works include: texts in logic, economics, social and political philosophy, ethics, metaphysics, and religion. John Stuart Mill is recognized as one of the most intelligent men of his time and is regarded as one of the smartest men of all time.
44) Rene Descartes - Rene Descartes was an influential philosopher, mathematician, scientist, and writer. Descartes has been given the title “Father of Modern Philosophy,” and has contributed a lot to Western philosophy. His writings are still being studied today and he has had a huge influence in mathematics. Rene was a key figure in the scientific revolution and was able to share his incredible insights with others.
45) George Washington - George Washington was the first President of the United States, and lead the U.S. continental Army to defeat the British in the Revolutionary war. Washington is viewed as a symbol of the United States and republican party. He has been consistently ranked by citizens as one of the greatest presidents of the United States.
46) Miguel de Cervantes - Miguel de Cervantes was a Spanish novelist, poet, painter and playwright. He is one of the most influential and important people in literature and the leader of
47) Francois Marie-Arouet - Commonly known by the pen-name Voltaire, Francois Marie-Arouet was a French Enlightenment writer, essayist, and philosopher. He was known for his wit, defense of civil liberties, and philosophy. He was an outspoken supporter of social reform and was one of several Enlightenment figures whose works and ideas influenced important thinkers of both the American and French Revolutions.
48) Baruch de Spinoza - Baruch de Spinoza was a Dutch philosopher that was very proficient in science. Most of Spinoza’s work was not recognized until after his death. Today, Spinoza is regarded as one of the greatest 17th century philosophers. His work in philosophy laid the foundation for the 18th century Enlightenment.
49) Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz - Leibniz was a German polymath who is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers. Liebniz invented calculus
50) Johann Wolfgang von Goethe - Johann Wolfgang von Goethe was a German writer whose works span the fields of poetry, drama, literature, theology, humanism, and science. Goethe was a key figure in German literature and the movement of Weimar Classicism in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Goethe is the inventor of the concept of “world literature,” having taken great interest in the literatures of
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Dude, I love this post and I think your Top 3 are spot on, but…
How the hell can you put Warren Buffett in the Top 10, and like 20 spots above Socrates?!
And where is Marcus Aurelius in all this madness!?!
You’ve got some explaining to do man…
Hey Obi,
Glad to hear you enjoyed it. I didn’t put them in a “ranked” order. I’m planning another project where intelligence will be “ranked.”
Thanks for your comments :)
Alright bro, you’re in the clear. :)
hi..
I guess John Nash did an incredible job too… His mind was quoted as “A beautiful mind” indeed…
What say??
Ranjeet
Interesting list, I feel Rudolph Steiner should have appeared on it though!
Stardust
Where’s Richard Feynman? He was a by far the most brilliant physicist — way beyond Hawking, just not as stereotypical.
whats the point? all born geniuses what’s the point for losers to read about them. its not like you can get as good as these guys.
Don’t be so sad, Sad.
Geniuses aren’t born, they’re created. And you have the power to be just as great, if not greater, if you decide to be.
u r list is a little messed up…it only list people with magnificent achievement and a major influence to humankind. The definition of genius. 1.exceptional intellectual or creative power or other natural ability. 2 an exceptionally intelligent or able person. from oxford university dictionary. like i don’t understand why Winston Churchill is on there, he is not like insane smart.
Thanks
genetically ingenious
Where are the women? Are there no women geniuses?
Here’s my try at a list, in no particular order:
Marie Curie
Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz
Elizabeth I
Jane Addams
Lady Murasaki
Jane Austen
Charlotte Brontë
Joni Mitchell
Toni Morrison
Golda Meir
there are no women on this list..
I cannot believe sigmund freud is not up there!
hey a friend told me about a book of the most brilliant minds in hstory where can I find it??
Very good list I must say,though I would add Salvador Dali to the list as well.
Well, it is subjective as who to put in this list. I mean Napoleaon was a great general, but was he really smarter than julius ceasar or alexander the great who expanded his empire to India? Philosopher Karl Marx is not on the list as well as Homer and Hippokrates father of medicine.
WHERES MARX!!!!???
awesome lists dude.. notify me(if you can) when u get that “ranked” lists of brilliant people =)
gentlemen,
NICOLA TESLA SHOULD HAVE BEEN NUMBER ONE!
von neumann should have come ahead of albert einstein.
does anybody know that einstein borrowed ideas, as he was working in the patents office?
like how marconi and edison borrowed tesla’s ideas!
CAPT AJIT VADAKAYIL
Kasparov doesn’t belong on this list.
I’d never put Picasso ahead of Van Gogh and Rembrandt.
Some so-called “geniuses” are noted here for their IQs and how quickly they can absorb information (such as Peek). I am not aware of the full range of Peek’s abilities, but true genius is not so much about absorbing information quickly (reading a book in under an hour, say), but is actually about creative potential, new ideas, etc…
Where is Dante and Chaucer here?
What about Rumi?
Dostoyevsky?
Julius Caesar?
William Blake?
Krishnamurti is a more interesting thinker than Vivekananda.
What about the spiritual geniuses, such as Buddha, Jesus, etc? Where are they?
This is far from a satisfactory list.
I don’t know about Samuel Johnson either. As admirable as he was, compared with the geniuses I listed here, he had mechanical talents.
Descartes - overrated. His statement “I think, therefore I am” is childish, something even the laziest Buddhist philosopher would never say. And Buddhists were around centuries before he lived. It would have been better had Hume been included instead, though I have my doubts about the inclusion of Hume…
I should have said: “Where are Dante and Chaucer here?”
Other serious candidates:
Li Po
Whitman
Hafez
Brahms
Wagner
Heifetz
Dickinson
King David
Nagarjuna
Ibsen
Nietzsche
Please do your research and include Richard Feynman. One of the most brilliant physics and mathematicians ever. The more you read about him the more you will put in in your top 50; I promise. He could replace Kim Peek who really did not do anything relavent.
Hey what about Muhammad the prophet?
Just one question to show you what is more important for mankind…..
Do you know who was the richest man of the world when Socrates was alive?
Did you notice in one documentary, that even the US military was involved trying to find Mozart’s DNA?
Can you imagine doing that trying to get the austrian’s emperor DNA or the DNA of a very wealthy man of that time?
The richest men tend to benefit THEMSELVES…..the work of the REAL genius of the mankind, tend to benefit HUMANS….think about it.
Socrates, Da Vinci, Newton, Darwin, Galileo, Bohr…..
Wich of them were the wealthiest of their time?
good list i like but imo if your going to put thomas jefferson and washington lincoln has to be there as well. he is considered the greatest president by a lot.
WHERE IS DR. JOSE RIZAL OF PHILIPPINES??HE’S A GENIUS MAN WHO IS VERY HUMBLE..HE KNOWS A LOT WHEN IT COMES TO ARTS,MEDICINE,POETRY,,HE IS AN EXCELLENT PAINTER,SCULPTOR,AUTHOR,MATHEMATICIAN,PHYSICIST,OPTHALMOLOGIST,NATIONAL HERO OF THE PHILIPPINES,PHILOSOPHER,THEOLOGIAN,EDUCATOR,CONVERSANT IN ALL LANGUAGES IN THE WORLD,POET,WRITER AND HE HAS A VERY UNIQUE TALENT WHICH ALBERT EINSTEIN CANNOT DO,HE MUST BE PUT AS NUMBER ONE…AND FOR YOUR INFO HE GOT AN EXCELLENT GRADES IN ALL SUBJECTS WHEN HE WAS STILL STUDYING
Why did Galileo Galilei ended up at top 30 only? He was like the founder of modern science! I was hoping to see James Clerk Maxwell and some strategic military geniuses like Alexander the Great and Julius Cesar who almost took over the world itself!
I think we need more than one list, or else make an effort to look beyond the white male world.
Obi got caught!
besides many others mentioned before, i would put particular emphasis on adding nietsche
I reviewed this list looking to solve a personal mystery thats plagued me for the last 10 yrs or so…I read a reference once that described a man living in the 5th or 6th century as the most brilliant and accomplished mind of all time. I was very surprised I’d never heard the name, since I read alot of history books.
My recollection of the bio was as follows: he was born in the 5th or 6th century in the south of France to a undistinguished, uneducated family; recognized as brilliant by church officials, he was placed in and educated by the church very early in his life, and spent the rest of his life in Italy. He was renowned in several fields, but especially mathematics and philosophy.
Several figures fit most parts of this bio (Pope Gregory, Gaspard Monge, and 1-2 others), but are way off for a major detail. Any help in id-ing this person is appreciated!
BTW…George Washington!? Do you mean Thomas Jefferson? Washington wrote next to nothing compared with his contemporaries, nor was he an intellectual or highly educated man. A brilliant military talent perhaps, but little else distinguished him. I’ve never understood anyone stating he was a great president. More like in the right place at the time, and a compromise, default pick for the first, based on his military heroism. It was Jefferson who was so renowned for his well-rounded genius, pursuit of knowledge, and brilliant writings.
It seems that this list was created by one person, with his ideas and without anything other.
Of course most of first 20 are really geniuses, but it’s very strange that some living peoples did nothing genially and added in this list only after they high results on IQ test. Also strange that no women in list, i think here could be Curie at least.
Now we can’t rate geniuses of antique world in one list with living people; author tried to do it, but had not good result.
PS:I’m sorry for my bad english
Where are the eskimos? Are there no esquimaux geniuses?
Hawking is a popular writer with a lot of time on his hands not Da Vinci. Same with Warren Buffett, right place at the right time.
Carl Jung, John Coltrane, and Milton Erickson had more sophisticated minds
What about Helen Keller??? I would call her one because she SURVIVED BEING DEAF AND BLIND! And I do believe that Dr. Jose Rizal should have been on the list. He is a very powerful person who changed the Phillipines. Lincoln maybe should be on there but IDK.
please consider Henry Cavendish as he might be even at one of the top spots
I agree with Mimi!
And, I believe Kate Bush should be added. I just think she is a “brilliant” musician. Brilliant! But, I am biased…a little.
Nooo in no wayy is Einstein #1 they say his IQ was in the 160’s. At the age of eleven Ted Kaczynski had an IQ of 169
Muhammad the prophet should definitely be cosidered. I am a white male(trying not to be biased) and i think some women should be included (Mimi’s list has some good suggestions). Also more people beyond the western world should be considered. And yes it does seem like one person created this list. What about Adolf Hitler (even though we perceive him to be evil).
Only white men make the genius list? I must conclude the list-maker and applauders would certainly not make the list. And I am not asking for token names. But a measure that truly covers the range of genius.