How this ‘gifted’ boy became youngest-ever Mensa member — at age 2: ‘It’s a very unusual accolade’

He’s a small brilliant pinch a large IQ.

At conscionable 2 years and 182 days old, Joseph Harris-Birtill is nan youngest-ever personnel of Mensa — nan exclusive nine for group pinch exceptionally precocious intelligence quotients.

Mensa, nan world’s largest and astir recognized nine for brainiacs, admits only those who people successful nan apical 2% connected standardized IQ tests — a period that starts astatine a people of 132.

“We dream that this accomplishment tin springiness him a consciousness of pridefulness erstwhile he is older – it’s a very different accolade and nan in installments is each his!” his mother, Rose, who lives successful nan UK, told Guinness World Records.

While his nonstop IQ wasn’t revealed, Joseph’s unthinkable intellect pushed him to surpass nan grounds of nan youngest-ever Mensa member, a title antecedently held by Isla McNabb — a small Einstein from Kentucky who was awarded nan grant successful 2023 erstwhile she was 2 years and 195 days old.

To suffice for membership, individuals must show exceptional cognitive abilities successful various intelligence areas, including problem-solving, logic and connection comprehension.

“It soon became clear that he was an exceptional small being — he first rolled complete astatine 5 weeks, said his first connection astatine 7 months, and publication his first book retired large from screen to screen astatine 1¾ years,” Rose said.

“By 2¼ years old, he was reference retired large fluently for 10 minutes astatine a time, could count to 10 successful 5 languages, and could count forwards and backwards to good complete 100.”

His parents, some world professionals, recognized early connected that Joseph’s abilities mightiness require much than conscionable nan accustomed puerility environment.

Rose, an honorary elder teacher astatine nan University of London, and David, a elder teacher astatine nan University of St Andrews, reached retired to Mensa to get support for their boy aft it became clear his precocious reference skills confirmed their boy was extraordinarily gifted.

The youngster continues to impressment his parents and those astir him arsenic he learns caller skills and talents.

Joseph is learning Morse code, for starters, and moreover knows nan Greek alphabet, has precocious been willing successful nan periodic table, is learning nan piano, and has a knack for caller languages, solving maths problems, cooking and flying insubstantial airplanes. And, of course, playing pinch his toys.

“He loves a situation and is really exhilarated by complexity, whether learning chess aliases poring complete caller words and concepts that he hasn’t travel crossed before,” Rose shared.

His family is proud of much than conscionable his intellect, too. His mother noted that “he is very benignant and loving, assured and curious, and incredibly determined.”

Mensa has been a captious assets for Joseph, offering not conscionable intelligence stimulation but besides a consciousness of organization pinch different exceptionally talented children. His rank is not conscionable a root of pridefulness for his family, but besides a unsocial opportunity for Joseph to beryllium surrounded by peers who stock his intelligence curiosity and drive.

“It is simply a communal misconception that everything is ace easy for talented children. But everyone needs due stimulation and knowing passim their lives, and highly capable learners tin sadly person their unsocial talents dimmed by nan unit to fresh into environments that simply haven’t been decently designed for them,” Rose noted.

“We’re incredibly proud of him, not conscionable for his intellect, but for his benignant and loving nature,” she added. “Whatever he decides to do successful life, we cognize he’s tin of awesome things.”