A 15-year-old genius known as “Belgium’s little Einstein” completed his PhD in quantum physics at the University of Antwerp. Laurent Simons defended his thesis last month, being one of the youngest PhD students in the world.
Simons, who has an IQ of at least 145, said he will now begin work on his goal of creating “supermen”, according to an article in The Brussels Times, writes ndtv.com. He first gained popularity at the age of 12 when he obtained his BA in Physics after completing the three-year course in just 18 months.
At the time, Simons’ parents, Alexander Simons and his wife Lydia, revealed that their son had received offers from US and Chinese IT giants who wanted him to study at their research centers.
“It’s official: Dr. Simons! I just finished my PhD!!! The only way is up,” Simons wrote in an Instagram post, as congratulations poured in from around the world.
“Congratulations Laurent, you’re a genius, but don’t forget you’re a normal teenager too, play and hang out with your teenage friends! Be multidimensional! Travel, play, take your time,” one user said, while another added: “Congratulations, Dr. Simons. You are one of the youngest PhD holders in the history of the world.”
A third commented: “Congratulations, Laurent! We hope you will discover that we are more than body/mind machines, but pure, that our true essence is pure consciousness. Consciousness is paramount. I wish you all the best!”
Laurent’s parents, Lydia and Alexander, said they did not take his grandparents’ words seriously when they told them their boy had a special gift. But the teachers subjected him to certain tests to find out his level and came to the conclusion that Laurent is like “a sponge that absorbs all information“, Alexander also said.
Even though Laurent comes from a family of doctors, his parents cannot find an explanation for the ease with which the child processes information.
But his mother, Lydia, has her own theory about the little one’s performances. “I ate a lot of fish during pregnancyLydia joked.
