Who is the smartest man in the world and what is his IQ?

Who Is the Smartest Person in the World?

When it comes to intelligence, names like Terence Tao, Marilyn vos Savant, and Christopher Hirata often come up in conversations about genius. But according to recent listings, the title of the smartest man in the world may belong to YoungHoon Kim, who reportedly has an astonishing IQ score of 276.

While IQ tests have long been used as a measure of cognitive ability, the highest recorded scores remain a topic of fascination and debate. YoungHoon Kim, a South Korean academic, has been cited with the highest known IQ in recent rankings, surpassing even well-known prodigies. For context, an average IQ is around 100, and a score over 140 is generally considered "genius level."

Still, raw numbers don't tell the whole story. Terence Tao, a Fields Medalist and mathematician, has an IQ of 230 and is celebrated for his real-world contributions to science. Marilyn vos Savant, once listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for her 228 IQ, gained fame for her sharp logic and problem-solving skills. Christopher Hirata, a child prodigy turned astrophysicist, scored 225 and began working with NASA in his teens.

While YoungHoon Kim’s score stands out, intelligence is more than a single number. It's shaped by creativity, emotional insight, and the ability to solve meaningful problems. And in the end, being “the smartest” isn’t just about how fast you learn—it’s about what you do with that knowledge.