[saganite]

So he gets his PhD at 10, overthrows Einstein's theory of relativity at 14, has his super string car up and running at 18, gets his Nobel at 20, then what?

Actually, from what I read, most of these child geniuses are totally burnt out by the time they're 20 and are never heard from again. The exceptions seem to be in the world of music for some reason.

[x5452]

But aren't most forced into some sort of academic system? The kid seems intent to pursue an application of his abilities. Hell even he get's burned out after creating a flying car, the benefits for the scientific community should be quite impressive.

[gleneagle]

I do not know where you "read" that. I work with about 800 profoundly gifted children in this country. Your assertion that most get totally burnt out is a myth. Some do, but it is a very, very small minority.

Another myth is that these kids are all socially maladjusted. True, they are not intellectually matched with their peer age group, but they can engage quite well in athletic or social activities with their age peers. They just can not learn with them.

Think of Tiger Woods. As a young child he could do many things with his age peers. He could go to school with them and socialize with them, but he was not well matched playing golf with them.

[litehaus]

"then what?"

Then he figures out that a black whole is 6 months from eating us?

[sine_nomine]

Yes that happened to me.

[Lady Heron]

The exceptions seem to be in the world of music for some reason.

No, no exception there either.

[UnbelievingScumOnTheOtherSide]

Actually, from what I read, most of these child geniuses are totally burnt out by the time they're 20 and are never heard from again.

I gave science lectures to 5th and 6th graders when I was in the 1st grade but I was already burnt out by his age :-/

[staytrue]

Actually, from what I read, most of these child geniuses are totally burnt out by the time they're 20

From what I see, most US high school graduates have peaked by age 25 and they will even tell you it is all downhill from there.

Besides was not Condi some sort of prodigy ?