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)
- Stephen Hawking (IQ – 160)
- Albert Einstein (IQ – 160 – 190)
- Judit Polgar (IQ – 170)
- Philip Emeagwali (IQ – 190)
- Garry Kasparov (IQ – 194)
- Christopher Michael Langan (IQ – 190 – 210)
- Edith Stern (IQ – 200+)
- Kim Ung-Yong (IQ – 210)
- Christopher Hirata (IQ – 225)
- Marilyn Vos Savant (IQ – 228)
- Terence Tao (IQ – 225 – 230)
- William James Sidis (IQ – 250-300)