While his peers are attending middle school, he already has a degree in Physics: who is the 11 year old genius who wants to make men immortal.
We hear about phenomena all the time, but the physicist of only 11 years old who wants to give the world eternal life could be really a bit ‘too much. It is as if the little genius has all in all retained a childish side, despite the undeniable academic achievements. But let’s try to deepen the character, also in an attempt to understand how serious he really is.
Who is Laurent Simons, graduated in Physics at only 11 years
His name is Laurent Simons, he comes from a family originally from Belgium and Holland and he already has a degree in Physics in his hands despite being little more than a child. Not bad, considering that such a goal is reached by the rest of us mere mortals at least at the age of 21 (ten years after Laurent). Nor can it be said that the very young scientist is the product of a fluke: his grade was the highest in the entire class. “I find it flattering that people compare me to Einstein,” Laurent said, “but I think everyone is unique. Einstein is just Einstein and I, Laurent, am just Laurent.” He received his degree from the University of Antwerp, Belgium.
The hoax is that Laurent narrowly missed a Guinness World Record for youngest graduate ever because of a few transitions from one institution to another. In a very mature way, he commented that he doesn’t care about that: “For me it’s about gaining knowledge.” Now he’s already got his eyes on a master’s degree and a doctorate, which he’ll probably earn, given his determination, at the age the rest of us took the bar.
Physics genius has a plan for immortality: here’s what
What’s the genius’ goal? Simons has no doubt about that either: “Immortality, that’s my goal,” he said. “I want to be able to replace as many body parts as possible with mechanical parts.” How does he plan to pursue the goal of a cybernetic future? The key is in “quantum physics,” which he calls “the first piece of the puzzle. I want to work with the best professors in the world, look inside their brains and find out how they think.”
It is of course difficult to have ideas as clear as Simons’, but the quest for immortality has already been considered by some scientists, who have tried to explain how to live to 150. Even the animal kingdom could offer some suggestions, for example it could be useful to decipher the secret of the immortal jellyfish.
Giuseppe Giordano