The Mensa Society was created in 1946 as a group for people with IQ scores in the top 2% of the general population to share ideas and activities. The society’s membership has reached  > 120,000 global members.

Mensa has three stated purposes:

  • to identify and foster human intelligence for the benefit of humanity
  • to encourage research in the nature, characteristics and uses of intelligence
  • to promote stimulating intellectual and social opportunities for its members.

The Latin word “mensa” means table;  “mens” means “mind;” and “mensis” means “month.”

“Mensa” therefore suggests a monthly meeting of  minds around a table.

The odds of having an IQ ≥ 140 are 1 in 261. The odds of having an IQ  ≥160 are 1 in 31,560.

People with the highest IQs ever recorded (in ascending order)

  1. Stephen Hawking (IQ – 160)
  2. Albert Einstein (IQ – 160 – 190)
  3. Judit Polgar (IQ – 170)
  4. Philip Emeagwali (IQ – 190)
  5. Garry Kasparov (IQ – 194)
  6. Christopher Michael Langan (IQ – 190 – 210)
  7. Edith Stern (IQ – 200+)
  8. Kim Ung-Yong (IQ – 210)
  9. Christopher Hirata (IQ – 225)
  10. Marilyn Vos Savant (IQ – 228)
  11. Terence Tao (IQ – 225 – 230)
  12. William James Sidis (IQ – 250-300)