A beautiful mind? 12yo genius sets out to disprove big bang

Kal (Andrew) · #1 29-03-2011, 07:56 PM

I went through primary school and high school with an autistic kid, who I got to know well. While I understand that people with autism can struggle with social abilities, their mind can also be quite amazing and at times I wonder of all of us 'normal' people are really the ones with a disability.

Quote:

At 12-years-old, Jacob Barnett is a genius. He’s already in college, his IQ is higher than Einstein’s, and for fun he‘s working on an expanded version of that man’s theory of relativity. So far, the signs are good. Professors are astounded. So what else does a boy genius with vast brilliance do in his free time? Disprove the big bang, of course.

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FlashDrive (Poppy) · #2 29-03-2011, 08:38 PM

What a mind this kid has .... I'd love to sit and listen to this young fellow go on all day .... fascinating to say the least.

Brilliant mind .... Love to ask his opinion on .... Time Space Curvature.... or Dark Matter ... or Gamma Ray Bursts ... even Interstellar Travel........

Hey.... !!!! better still ..... This young fellow and Brian Cox having a discussion on all things pertaining to Astronomy... Quantum Physics ... Sub Atomic Particles ... Nano Technology ... Holographic Data Storage.

I'd be on the edge of my seat .... just love this sort of stuff.

Good on yah Kid ..... Teach us all .... !!

shelltree (Shelley) · #3 29-03-2011, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kal

I went through primary school and high school with an autistic kid, who I got to know well. While I understand that people with autism can struggle with social abilities, their mind can also be quite amazing and at times I wonder of all of us 'normal' people are really the ones with a disability.

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I completely agree Andrew. This still boggles my mind though!

Kal (Andrew) · #4 29-03-2011, 09:02 PM

I want to quote another piece of the article for those that may skim read

Quote:

At 3, his head was in the stars

The Barnetts decided it was time to follow Jake's lead, adopting a method that some parents of children with autism use -- floor-time therapy -- to help foster developmental growth. They let their children focus intently on subjects they like, rather than trying to conform them to "normal" things.
For Jake, that meant astronomy. As a 3-year-old, he loved looking at a book about stars, over and over again.
So off they went on a tour of the Holcomb Observatory and Planetarium at Butler University.
Kristine Barnett will never forget the day.
"We were in the crowd, just sitting, listening to this guy ask the crowd if anyone knew why the moons going around Mars were potato-shaped and not round," she recalls. "Jacob raised his hand and said, 'Excuse me, but what are the sizes of the moons around Mars?' "
The lecturer answered, and "Jacob looked at him and said the gravity of the planet . . . is so large that (the moon's) gravity would not be able to pull it into a round shape."
Silence.
"That entire building . . . everyone was just looking at him, like, 'Who is this 3-year-old?' "

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #5 29-03-2011, 09:13 PM

I felt like punching out some of the idiots that left messages.
Amazing how they think they know more than he does

and now believe he is only after a Nobel Prize

Sheesh!

Go for it Jacob

OICURMT · #6 29-03-2011, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Einstein's IQ

At 12-years-old, Jacob Barnett is a genius. He’s already in college, his IQ is higher than Einstein’s

It has been reported that Einstein has never taken an IQ test, so this really does not mean much...

Barrykgerdes · #7 30-03-2011, 08:23 AM

Hi
I don't hold a great deal of faith in IQ tests. They only test some attriutes of a high mental capacity in the young.

I remember doing the IQ test when I was in 4th class. It was used as a basis for selection to go to an "oportunity school". Its main criteria was speed in answering questions. I never saw any questions that I could not answer but I know I made some silly mistakes and could not write fast enough to finish it in the allotted time and as I was averse to going to another school I did not worry.

When I was at high school I never studied or did my homework and as a result usually performed badly in the exams. I got sent to the counseller and he wanted know what the problem was seeing as I had done so well in the apptitude test in year 4 (now year 5). When he told me I the results showed I would be a good journalist I decided he did not know what he was talking about as I hated writing.

Barry

Kal (Andrew) · #8 30-03-2011, 01:47 PM

Regardless of his IQ, he started university at age 8 and by the age of 12 he has exhausted what the lecturers can teach him. They are looking at giving him a post grad research paid job at age 13.

Ric · #9 30-03-2011, 02:31 PM

What an amazing lad, I admire him for what he has already achieved and for what he will definitely achieve in the future.

I'l be definitely watching for his name to pop up in future science journals. He has an amzing life ahead of him.

overlord (Charles) · #10 30-03-2011, 02:40 PM

Ja, big bang sucks. Electric universe is awesome. I recommend 'The big bang never happened' by Eric Lerner. He may have read that.

Steffen · #11 30-03-2011, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kal

Regardless of his IQ, he started university at age 8 and by the age of 12 he has exhausted what the lecturers can teach him. They are looking at giving him a post grad research paid job at age 13.

Sounds like Sheldon Cooper

Cheers
Steffen.

Octane (Humayun) · #12 30-03-2011, 02:43 PM

Uh oh...

H

avandonk · #13 30-03-2011, 03:37 PM

We had a young bloke start at CSIRO. He was very bright. He overnight solved a problem that had eluded electron microscopists for decades. How to generate an accurate 3D image from a series of 2D projections at different angles.
He had better mathematical tools and a very bright mind.
I really used to enjoy teaching him as he learnt everything I knew by lunchtime nearly everyday. That gave us heaps of time to go to the pub.

I would leave this kid to develop at his own pace. Not to be some sort of circus performer for us unwashed masses.

Bert

Kal (Andrew) · #14 30-03-2011, 06:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avandonk

I really used to enjoy teaching him as he learnt everything I knew by lunchtime nearly everyday. That gave us heaps of time to go to the pub.

I got a real good laugh out of this Bert, sounds so aussie

Jen · #15 30-03-2011, 06:21 PM

Go Jacob ruffle a few feathers

OICURMT · #16 31-03-2011, 01:11 AM

I have concerns over allowing children to "miss" childhood... while I applaud his achievements, I am reminded of another prodigy who went to Harvard at 16 and started teaching there at age 25...

He went on to become infamous and now resides in ADX Forence in the USA.

His name? Ted Kaczynski

Not going to say it will happen, but to err is human... so err on the side of caution.

ballaratdragons (Ken) · #17 31-03-2011, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OICURMT

I have concerns over allowing children to "miss" childhood... while I applaud his achievements, I am reminded of another prodigy who went to Harvard at 16 and started teaching there at age 25...

Not going to say it will happen, but to err is human... so err on the side of caution.

I understand what you mean, and see your concerns. Fortunately the article about Jacob also says:

"For Jake, life is not all centered on math and astrophysics.

He also likes playing video games. ("Guitar Hero" and "Halo: Reach" are his current favorites.) He plays basketball with friends, has a girlfriend and recently attended his first dance.

He likes music -- classical, which he plays by memory on a piano, but he also plays some contemporary songs he hears on the radio. He loves sci-fi movies and the Disney Channel. He watches documentaries on the History Channel."

and also, it's not something that can be stopped. His Aspergers is a non-stop condition. As the Father of an Aspergers son I understand Jacobs 'Drive'.

It appears that he is surrounded by the right people, and has very sensible parents. I think he will be in good hands

guggle (Michael) · #18 01-04-2011, 07:50 PM

This is a great story!!

Kudos to the parents:

Quote:

After hearing this, Jake's parents decided to pay closer attention to the things their first-born son was doing -- rather than the things he was not.

It would be difficult for some parents to do this!!

bloodhound31 · #19 01-04-2011, 10:00 PM

Inspiring.

Gem (Grant) · #20 05-04-2011, 02:49 PM

My brother was an average student looking at his marks at school. He was told by his physics teacher in year 11 that he should drop physics and that he would never amount to anything in science. He now heads up the one of the largest radio telescope in the world. School marks and tests don't always determine how good or bad someone will be in a field. Some people are brilliant at all things, some are really good at a narrow field. All people are different.