"I want to create superhumans." In Belgium, a 15-year-old prodigy has defended his second doctoral dissertation in physics.
Laurent Simons first received his PhD at the age of 12. And now he is working on his third degree, writes BILD.
Laurent Simons. Screenshot of RTL video
Belgian teenager Laurent Simons has already defended his second doctoral dissertation at the age of 15 - he first did it at the age of 12. Laurent received his high school diploma at the age of 8, graduated with a master's degree at 11, and is now working on his third scientific degree at the Helmholtz Munich Center, combining medicine and artificial intelligence.
«I want to create superhumans. Ones who jump like Michael Jordan and run like Olympians,» said the prodigy.
Laurent's latest dissertation is devoted to theoretical quantum physics; before that, the teenager defended a dissertation on experimental physics. According to his own words, the guy has a photographic memory and the ability to quickly find connections between complex phenomena.
His parents say that Laurent's unusual abilities appeared in childhood. At the age of four, he was sent to school, at six - to a gymnasium, where he was immediately given individual lessons.
At eight, he passed his exams, at nine he entered the university, and at 12 he became one of the youngest doctoral students in the history of the Max Planck Institute. He met with the Pope, talked with Nobel laureates, and spoke at leading scientific centers around the world.
Despite such a career, parents try to maintain a normal life for their son.
«I like go-karting and watching Marvel movies with friends at the cinema. Or we relax at home playing video games, such as Fortnite. I can behave like a normal person with friends. When I want to unwind, I listen to music, and sometimes I like to dance,» Laurent said.