J. Robert Oppenheimer
IQ: 135
🔍 How Did We Calculate This?
Note: Like Einstein, Oppenheimer never undertook a formal IQ test, yet his significant contributions to physics lay a solid foundation for this estimate.
1️⃣ Understanding the Flynn Effect:
Acknowledging the Flynn Effect, which indicates a rise in IQ scores over time, the average IQ during Oppenheimer's era was around 70.
2️⃣ Modern Baseline:
A peer-reviewed article suggests the modern average IQ for physicists is 133.
3️⃣ Historical Baseline:
Hence, the average physicist IQ of that time would be around 100.
4️⃣ Estimating the Number of Physicists in the Early 1900s:
Historical data estimates about 3,000 physicists worldwide at that time.
5️⃣ Utilizing Normal Distribution:
Assuming a normal distribution with a mean IQ of 100 and a standard deviation of 15, Oppenheimer, placed within the top 1% of physicists, would likely fall at the 99th percentile (30/3000). This corresponds to a Z-score of approximately 2.33.
6️⃣ Estimating Oppenheimer's IQ:
Utilizing this Z-score and the formula IQ=mean+(Z×SD), Oppenheimer's estimated IQ comes out to be 135.