Joseph Harris Burtill, a British Boy
Shows Interest in Morse Code and the Periodic Table
A two-year-old boy from the UK has become the youngest member ever to join Mensa, the international society for people with high IQs.
According to the New York Post and other outlets on May 27 (local time), Joseph Harris Burtill, who was born in the UK on November 23, 2021, officially became a Mensa member at the age of 2 years and 182 days, setting the record for the youngest male Mensa member. Joseph has also been listed in the Guinness World Records for this achievement. To join Mensa, an individual must score in the top 2% on an intelligence test, with a minimum IQ of 132. Joseph's exact IQ has not been disclosed.
Joseph's parents, Rose (39) and David (39), both hold doctoral degrees and work in academic fields. David is a senior lecturer at the University of St Andrews, while Rose is an honorary senior lecturer at the same university and serves as the editor-in-chief of the Open Library of Humanities, an academic publisher under the University of London.
In an interview with Guinness World Records, Rose said, "It was immediately clear how exceptional Joseph was as a baby." According to Rose, Joseph rolled over for the first time at five weeks old, spoke his first word at seven months, and at one year and three months, read a book aloud from start to finish. By the age of two and a half, he was reading books aloud fluently for ten minutes at a time, could count to ten in five different languages, and could count both forwards and backwards well past 100.
Currently, Joseph is learning Morse code and has begun to take an interest in the periodic table. In addition to reading, he is also passionate about music and is currently learning to play the piano. Rose described her son by saying, "Joseph's interests are broad and diverse. He is always eager to learn more and enjoys being challenged." Despite his remarkable intelligence, Joseph also has an ordinary side?he enjoys hugging other children and sharing his toys.
After discovering their son's giftedness, Joseph's parents contacted Mensa to seek additional support. Rose explained, "I searched online and found that Mensa offers resources and membership for gifted children. I hope this achievement will give him a sense of pride when he grows up."
Previously, the youngest Mensa member was Ayla McNabb, a girl from the United States born on November 19, 2019, who joined Mensa at the age of 2 years and 195 days.
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