In 1915, Australian physicist Sir William Lawrence Bragg was awarded the Nobel Prize "for his services to the study of crystals by means of x-rays". In the entire history of the award, he is known as the youngest laureate - at the time of receiving it, he was only 25 years old.

While 17-year-old Malala Yousafzai won the Peace Prize last year, Bragg is still the youngest winner in science, and there's little chance that things will change in the future.

Over the past hundred years, Nobel laureates have been getting older: when Bragg received his award in 1915, the average age of discoverers in fields such as chemistry, physics and medicine was no more than 40 years old. Today it is equal to 71 years: scientists are waiting for the award longer, and it is becoming more and more difficult to achieve serious achievements in science.

Average age scientists holding the Nobel Prize at the time of their award: physiology (blue), physics (orange), and chemistry (red).

Waiting for a call from the Swedes

In general, when it comes to discoveries and inventions, it is customary to associate these achievements with the spirit of youth. It is believed that young minds are more likely to question and question what others take for granted: in other words, think outside the box.

Paul Dirac, also winner of the Physics Prize for discoveries in the field quantum mechanics He even wrote a poem about it:

Age is, of course, a fever chill
that every physicist must fear.
He is better dead than living still
when once he is past his thirtieth year.

(Oh, the fever of time and the chill of age,
What every physicist has to be ashamed of:
He's not dead yet, but it's better to go straight to the coffin -
How to live when he is thirty.)

It is not known whether he actually experienced something similar when he was thirty, but one thing is clear: if Dirac had not lived to this age, he would never have received the award - the Nobel Prize is not awarded posthumously.

He shared it in 1933 with 46-year-old Erwin Schrödinger; Dirac himself was only 31 at the time. However, to do justice to his poem, it is worth saying that Dirac made his discovery at the age of 26.

This break in time is between scientific discovery and his recognition is part of the tradition, but according to the authors of the article entitled “Waiting Nobel Prize» ( The Nobel Prize Delay, 2014) every year this period becomes longer and longer, and its growth occurs non-linearly:

Break between discovery and award: y-axis - waiting time (in tens of years), abscissa - year of receipt of the Nobel Prize (physics - blue, chemistry - green, medicine - red). Source: Becattini et. al.

The researchers note that long waits, sometimes exceeding a period of 20 years, occur in each of the three areas, however, the largest gap is observed in physics:

“Instances that the waiting time between opening and receiving an award exceeds tens of years are gradually becoming the norm for everyone exact sciences: about 60% of awards in physics, 52% in chemistry and 49% in medicine were received with a gap of more than 20 years.

The longest awaited Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to Peter Higgs and François Englert, who were eventually awarded for a theory predicting the existence of bosonic particles (1946). However, the very discovery of the Higgs bosons took place no earlier than in 2013: scientists have been waiting for the award for 49 years.

(84-year-old Higgs had no mobile phone and was dining at the hour the announcement was made. He was unaware of what had happened until a passing driver stopped him and congratulated him on the good "news". Higgs later admitted on the BBC: "" What, what other news?' I said then).

Provided information on how to get first places in IQ and in Nobel laureates.
I would add that the Nobel Prize, which enjoys great prestige among other similar prizes
still cannot be considered flawless in terms of its commitment.
Especially in the humanitarian sphere.
Well, and about the political part, like the "peace prize" you can’t say without a mat)
Among her nominees were such persons as Gorbachev, Obama, and even Hitler.
Nevertheless, in the exact sciences, I repeat, it is quite authoritative.
So:

The average IQ in the country shows efficiency educational system. The number of Nobel laureates speaks of her place in the intellectual arena of the world. Based on these two indicators, a list of the smartest countries has been compiled.

First place

IQ: Hong Kong

According to two studies by professors Richard Lynn and Tatu Vanhanen - "Intelligence quotient and the wealth of nations", as well as "Intelligence quotient and global inequality", countries occupy the first places in IQ. East Asia, but the leader administrative District Hong Kong. There, the average IQ level of the country is 107 points. True, the number and high density of the population (6480 people / km²) play a certain role here. Roughly speaking, the opportunities to provide uniform education throughout the country are much easier than, say, in Russia.


By number of Nobel laureates: USA

But in terms of the number of Nobel laureates, the United States is far ahead of everyone. According to the statistics of the Nobel Committee, there are 356 laureates for the period from 1901 to 2014. In many ways, this is determined by the opportunities that are provided for research by scientists. different countries in American institutions and research centers.

Second place

IQ: South Korea

In second place in terms of intelligence is South Korea with a rating of 106 points. Here is one of the most demanding and rigorous education systems in the world, in which the greatest preference is given to the exact sciences. They finish school there only at the age of 19, followed by a university. In South Korea, there is terrible competition for admission to higher educational institutions. During the entrance exams and sessions, according to statistics, mental stress reaches such intensity that people simply can not stand it. But the result is obvious - South Korea, one of the smartest countries in the world.

Number of Nobel laureates: UK

In second place in terms of Nobel laureates is Great Britain, whose residents receive awards every year. In total, the Nobel Prize was awarded to 121 Britons.

Third place

By IQ: Japan

Japan is third with 105 points. This is not surprising, given that today the country rising sun in the development of high technologies ran far ahead of all other countries of the world. The present Japanese quality will give odds even to pedantic Germans.

The University of Tokyo is today considered the best in all of Asia and is included in the list of the 25 best universities. educational institutions peace. The literacy rate in the country reaches 99%, and in addition to IQ tests, the Japanese do an excellent job of learning accurate and natural sciences.

By number of Nobel laureates: Germany

Third place with Japan is shared by Germany with 104 Nobel Prizes in the most various areas.

Fourth place

By IQ: Taiwan

And again, a country from Asia, a partially recognized state of the Republic of China, often referred to by the name of the island - Taiwan. Its inhabitants were also able to make "intelligence" their trademark, which provided them with a worthy place in the world and in the market. Today, Taiwan is one of the main suppliers of high-tech products, especially in the information and electronic industries. The country's leadership plans to turn Taiwan into a "green silicon island" or an island of science and technology.

By number of Nobel laureates: France

But in terms of Nobel laureates, as opposed to Asia, the West is in the lead. France ranks fourth on this list, being one of the leaders of fresh ideas in art, philosophy and literature.

Fifth place

IQ: Singapore

Singapore ranks fifth in IQ. It is much easier for a city-state to establish an education system than for giant countries. On the other hand, it is in first place among the richest and most prosperous countries, according to Forbes. A country with a population of 5 million people demonstrates a GDP of $ 270 billion. The results are involuntarily correlated with high IQ test scores. The World Bank named Singapore the best place for doing business.

By number of Nobel laureates: Sweden

In fifth place is Sweden - the birthplace of Nobel and the permanent seat of the headquarters of the Nobel Committee. Among the Swedes, 29 distinguished people who received the Nobel Prize in the fields of medicine, chemistry, physics, and literature.

Sixth place

By IQ: Austria, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands

Sixth place is shared by Austria, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands with the same score - 102. Perhaps, Italy stands out the most from this list, the inhabitants of which are known for their southern and windy character. And yet, for a siesta that stops all life in the regions of Southern Italy for several hours in the middle of a working day, Italians do not forget about science and art. It is enough to look at the history of Italy once to understand that since the Roman era, this country has been the first in Europe in terms of the number of geniuses “per capita”.

By number of Nobel laureates: Switzerland

The honorable sixth place is occupied by Switzerland. The requirements at local universities are high, especially in the field of natural sciences. Since 1975, seven Swiss have received Nobel Prizes here. In total, there are 25 awards per country.

Seventh place

IQ: Switzerland

And again Switzerland, which, in terms of average IQ (101), is a step below that of its scientific elite. Switzerland is one of the leading countries in terms of the number of people with higher education. It also ranks second in the ranking of the most prosperous countries in the world, according to experts from the Prosperity Index.

By number of Nobel laureates: Russia

Seventh place is shared with her by Russia with an IQ of 97 points and 23 Nobel laureates. Our compatriots managed to excel in many areas: literature, quantum electronics, electromagnetic radiation, semiconductors, superfluids and other things in which few ordinary people understand anything.

Does the birth order of children in a family affect their intellectual level?

One of the important and insufficiently studied aspects of the formation of individual qualities of a person's personality is the order of birth of children in the family. The answer to this question is of particular relevance at the present time in connection with a significant decline in the birth rate in most economically developed countries peace.

Firstborns are weaker

The possibility of the influence of the birth order of children in the family on their intellectual abilities is of interest to many researchers. According to I. Mechnikov, "... brilliant people were only in rare cases first-born children. In general, first-born children are weaker than subsequent children: they give higher mortality, and crime is more common among them." He reinforces his statement the following facts: Shakespeare, Voltaire, Hugo and Peter I were born third; Chopin, L. Tolstoy and Napoleon I - fourth; Mozart, Wagner and Beaumarchais are seventh. The only exception, in his opinion, is Goethe, who was born as the first child of a 17-year-old mother. This assumption is consistent with the opinion of other researchers of this problem, according to whose observations, the first children in the family are often physically weaker and less viable than those born later, and also less intellectually developed and have less opportunity for self-realization in society.

We recently undertook a study of the possibility of the influence of the birth order of children in a family on the formation of their intellectual standard of living, the implementation of which has received well-deserved recognition in the world community. The biographical data of the Nobel Prize winners of the 20th century in various fields of knowledge, who are undoubtedly outstanding representatives of their era, were used as the material of the study. We have studied the biographical data of 224 Nobel laureates.

First of all, it should be noted that the families in which the leading personalities were born were large, which reflected the general demographic situation late XIX and the beginning of the twentieth century. For example, the future leaders in the field of literature, the Colombian prose writer and journalist GMarkes, was the eldest, and the Danish novelist H. Pontoppidian was the fourth in families consisting of 16 children, the Indian poet R. Tagore was the youngest of 14 of his brothers and sisters, and the German doctor and bacteriologist R .Koch is the third of 13 children.

The analysis showed that among 224 Nobel laureates, 46.9% of the total number of children were born first in their families, 18.8% - the second, 17.9% - the third, 6.7% - the fourth, 4% - the fifth, sixth - 0.9%, seventh - 3.2%, eighth - 0.9%, ninth - 0.5% and fourteenth - 0.5% of persons. These data indicate a significant predominance of first-born persons in the total cohort of laureates. Among them, 30.4% became prominent persons in physics, 21% in physiology and medicine, 19.8% in literature, 16% in chemistry, 10.2% in peace prizes and 2.6% in economics.

The data on small families in which the future laureates were born turned out to be interesting. An only child there were 28 people in the family, 7 of them were brought up by one of the parents.

The results of the first phase of the study served as the basis for more detailed study the factor of the birth order of children in the family on their intellectual level. To this end, at the second stage of the work, we studied in detail the most complete biographical data of 62 laureates in the field of physiology and medicine. During the study, it turned out that the families in which the future in this area were born were also quite numerous. In total, there were 251 children in these 62 families.

During their lives, 74.8% of Nobel laureates married once (the average age of marriage is 29.8 years), two or more - 20%, and 5.1% of persons were not married. 15 scientists (24.2%) did not leave offspring. Of the 251 children in the 62 analyzed families, 62 subsequently became Nobel laureates in physiology and medicine. Among the first-born children there were 24 people (38.7%), second-born - 16 (25.8%), third - 9 (14.5%), fourth - 3 (4.8%), fifth - 5 (8 .2%), sixth - 1 (1.6%), seventh - 3 (4.8%) and ninth - 1 (1.6%).

From a young age

The future laureates in the field of physiology and medicine showed their intellectual abilities already at a young age. They became bachelors at the age of 20.6, and masters - at 23.6. For further study, they chose, as a rule, major scientific centers of the world, where, under the guidance of famous scientists, they completed doctoral dissertations. The average age of dissertators is 26.8 years.

At the same time, 36.6% of future Nobel laureates defended dissertations under the age of 25; The average age of receiving the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine is 55.6 years. Average duration The life expectancy of Nobel Prize winners in Physiology or Medicine is 76.8 years. Among them, 42.9% of those awarded lived more than 80 years.

Our results allow us to make some assumptions. The birth rate on Earth of the biological species inhabiting it is under constant control of the regulating forces of nature. Unlike the animal world, the birth rate of people has a pronounced dependence on social factors and is characterized by a historical trend towards its decrease from a biological maximum to conscious regulation (or from “control of death” to “control of birth”). It is believed that in the absence of birth control by the state, each family would have an average of 7 children. In Russia in the 19th and early 20th centuries, every thousand women had, on average, 7.5 births of children, and at the end of the 20th century this figure had already dropped to 1.4-1.8. According to calculations, about 260 births per 100 families are needed to ensure the reproduction of the population. A decrease in the average number of children born to one woman during her reproductive period, less than 2.15, is considered the fatal facet of population reproduction. IN former USSR the family size was approximately 3.5 people (from 3.1 in Latvia to 5.7 in Tajikistan). The concept of "intellect" comes from the Latin word intellectus (which means knowledge, understanding, reason) and reflects the ability of the individual to think and rational knowledge. This definition is identical Latin translation the ancient Greek concept of nous (mind). Special attention in assessing the formation mental capacity Russian thinker A. Radishchev paid attention to the differences in the temperament of their personalities for children: “And whoever treats children clearly understands that since temperaments are different in people, . then the mental forces must inevitably differ in each person. The well-known psychologist A. Libin also believes that the mechanism for the formation of a subject-oriented, communication-oriented and self-oriented structure of personality is rooted in the depths of its temperament and preferences in the formation of behavioral strategies, and its peak is higher levels personal hierarchy, manifested in the form of development orientation - on oneself, on an object or on others.

Education and genius

In assessing the mental abilities of a person, the concept of a person's genius stands out in a very special way. According to C. Lombroso, genius and talent are difficult to distinguish from each other. Reproaching the English psychologist and anthropologist, one of the founders of eugenics (the theory of human hereditary abilities) and differential psychology F. Galton for often mixing these concepts with each other, he considered this shortcoming to be his own, from which "it is not always easy to get rid of." An outstanding Russian psychiatrist and the clinician V. Chizh believed that ". upbringing, the influence of relatives and friends have very little effect on brilliant people. Biographers usually try to explain the life and work of a genius by the influence of the environment on him, forgetting that a genius both perceives and processes differently than we do, ordinary people; a genius is usually distinguished by both extreme independence and tremendous originality. We do not understand genius at all, and I think that we cannot understand genius." It is quite probable that modern science is currently approaching the deciphering of the phenomenon of genius, using various, including molecular, methods for studying the functioning of the brain.

In addition to the effect of the influence of family size, the system-forming factor in the formation of a child's personality, according to A. Libin, affecting all levels of individuality equally, is the style of education. On the level of development of the intellect of children has general atmosphere in the family: the presence of an interesting and complex physical environment corresponding to the age and level of development of children, emotional responsiveness and active interaction with the child of parents and older children in the family, avoiding restrictions, accusations and excessive control over their behavior, emphasizing any achievements of the child. According to the data we received, the largest number Nobel laureates were the eldest children in the families of their parents: among first-borns there were 38.7% of them, second-born - 25.8%, third - 14.5%, fourth - 4.8%, etc. descending. Unequivocal explanation this fact it is probably impossible to give. As one of possible causes This phenomenon can indicate that first-borns, as a rule, receive more parental attention and more contact with parents than children born later, which stimulates their more active speech at first, and then intellectual development. As a rule, first-borns play the role of intermediaries between parents and younger children, they have more contact with them, actively adopting their experience, and perform teaching functions in the family, which accelerates their mental development. older children play important role in the family in the upbringing of their brothers and sisters in the event of the loss of one of the parents, which greatly stimulates their social activity. In the worst position in this respect is youngest child who does not have the opportunity to perform a teaching function in relation to other family members. It is possible that the lack of such initial skills does not contribute to the formation of their subsequent desire to occupy a leading position in various life situations. It is likely that this circumstance is typical for large families in which younger children during their lives still show less intellectual activity in society.

Alexander LITVINOV, Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor of the Smolensk State Medical University.

What factors can predict future performance? One of the most common hypotheses is the concept of a direct relationship between the level of intelligence and human achievements. Like, he showed an IQ of 170 points in the test - that's it, get ready to receive the Nobel Prize.

A prominent representative of the scientific school that supported this theory was Stanford University psychology professor Lewis Terman. In 1921, the scientist was lucky to receive a solid grant. As a result, a team of specialists was assembled who tested the intellectual development of children. Among 250,000 students in primary and secondary schools in America, 1,470 children were identified, whose IQ ranged from 140 to 200 points. This group young geniuses called "Termites" and became the subject of one of the most famous psychological studies in history.

Terman, like a mother hen, did not take his eyes off his wards until the end of his life. He tracked them life path, tested, measured and analyzed, noted academic achievements, followed the development family relations, collected information about all diseases, recorded the state of psychological health, diligently documented any promotion and job change.

Lewis Terman

« There is nothing more important in a person than the level of his intellect, except perhaps morality." Terman once said. He was convinced that it was people with a high IQ who were “capable of advancing science, art, education, public administration and social well-being in general. When Terman's wards were still studying at high school, he enthusiastically wrote: "Read any newspaper article that tells about any competition that was held in California, and in the list of winners you will definitely see the names of one or more members of our talented group." He suggested literary critics compare samples literary works their creatively gifted little "termites" with early work famous writers. And they could not find at least some significant differences. All signs pointed to a group with the potential of a "heroic character". Terman was convinced that termites were destined to become the future elite of the United States.

And 50 years later, it became clear that Terman was wrong. Some of his geeks wrote books science articles or succeed in business. Several people have held public office. Among them were two Superior Court judges, one municipal court judge, two members of the California Legislature, and one senior official. But few have become national figures. Many received a decent income - but not fabulous profits. The careers of most of them can be considered quite ordinary, and surprisingly many former termites even Terman himself recognized as failures.

Among such carefully selected geniuses, not one won the Nobel Prize. Interestingly, Terman's colleagues once tested two future Nobel laureates, then still students elementary school William Shockley and Luis Alvarez, and both were rejected. They didn't have a high enough IQ.

In his devastating critique, the sociologist Pitirim Sorokin concluded that if Terman had collected a group of randomly selected children who came from the same families as the termites and did not assess their IQ, then the representatives of this group would achieve no less impressive results, than carefully selected geniuses.

In conclusion to the fourth volume genetic study geniuses" the word "genius" disappeared. A more than disappointed Terman wrote: We are convinced that intelligence and success are not interconnected at all.».

Sad result ... Or vice versa? 🙂 It turns out that people with an IQ slightly above average are no less likely to succeed than those whose indicators are rushing to exorbitant heights? Or maybe even more… But what determines this very success? Does anyone have versions? 🙂 Write! And a little later I will give the opinions of world-class experts on this matter.

We decided to find out in which countries the most smart people. But what is the main indicator of the mind? Perhaps the ratio mental development person, better known as IQ. Actually, on the basis of this quantitative assessment, our rating was compiled. We also decided to take into account the Nobel laureates living in a particular country at the time of receiving the award: after all, this indicator indicates what place the state occupies in the intellectual arena of the world.

place

ByIQ: administrative region

In general, far from one study has been conducted on the relationship between intelligence and peoples. So, according to the two most popular works - "Intelligence Quotient and Global Inequality" and "Intelligence Quotient and Wealth of Nations" - East Asians are ahead of the planet.

Hong Kong has an IQ of 107. But here it is worth considering that the administrative region has a very high population density.

The United States leads other countries in the number of Nobel Prize winners by a huge margin. 356 laureates live (and lived) here (from 1901 to 2014). But it is worth saying that the statistics here are not entirely related to nationality: scientists from different countries receive very good support in institutes and research centers, and they often have much more opportunities in the States than in their native state. So, for example, Joseph Brodsky received a prize in literature, being a citizen.

place

IQ: South Korea


Inhabitants South Korea have an IQ of 106. However, being one of the smartest countries is not easy. For example, the education system in the state is one of the most technologically advanced, but at the same time complex and strict: they graduate from school only at the age of 19, and when entering a university, there is such terrible competition that many simply cannot withstand such mental stress.

Number of Nobel laureates:

In total, the British have received 121 Nobel Prizes. According to statistics, residents of the United Kingdom receive awards every year.

place

By IQ: Japan

The Japanese have an IQ of 105. And, perhaps, this is not surprising, since this is one of the most hardworking nations. As a result, Japan has gone far in the development of high technology, and the quality of their products is always on top. University of Tokyo is on the list best universities world, and the Japanese literacy rate is 99%.

Number of Nobel laureates:

Well, as for the winners of the prestigious award, it is in third place. It is home to 104 people who have received awards in various fields.

place

By IQ: Taiwan


In fourth place is again an Asian country - Taiwan, an island controlled by a partially recognized Republic of China. A country known for its industry and productivity, today it is one of the main suppliers of high technology. The local government has great plans for the future: they want to turn the state into a “silicon island”, an island of technology and science.

Average level IQ of residents - 104 points.

Number of Nobel laureates:

There are 57 people in France who have received the Nobel Prize. First of all, they are leaders in the humanities: there are a lot of laureates in philosophy, literature and art in the country.

place


The average IQ of the inhabitants of this city-country is 103 points. As you know - one of the advanced commercial centers in the world. And one of the most prosperous and wealthy states, even the World Bank called the best country for doing business.

Number of Nobel laureates:

Well, finally, the birthplace of Nobel himself got into the rating. There are 29 people who have been awarded awards in various fields.

place

Three countries at once have an average IQ of 102 points. Well, there’s even nothing to say here: in Germany there has never been a shortage of philosophers and scientists, in Austria there is a very disciplined and well-developed education system, but the geniuses of Italy can be counted from the time ancient rome.

Number of Nobel laureates:

Switzerland accounts for 25 Nobel Prizes, mostly in the field of exact sciences. The country is known throughout the world for its private schools and universities with excellent indicators of the level of education.

place


And again, only now for IQ, which is 101 points. The state is one of the leaders in terms of the number of citizens with higher education. And, of course, it is one of the most prosperous countries.

By number of Nobel laureates: Russia

In Russia (together with the USSR) there are 23 Nobel laureates who received awards. The first prize was brought to Russia by the physiologist Ivan Pavlov. Well, if we talk about the laureates who were born in the territory Russian Empire and the USSR or at the time of receiving the award did not have Russian citizenship, then the number will increase to 38.

The average IQ of the inhabitants of Russia is 97 points (11th place, shares it with the USA, Finland and the Czech Republic).