After his death, Sidis' sister Helena said that he had an IQ "the very highest that had ever been obtained", as reported in Abraham Sperling's 1946 book Psychology for the Millions. Sperling wrote: Helena SidiWilliam James Sidis spoke 25 languages and had an IQ 100 points higher than Albert Einstein's, but the smartest man in the world just wanted to live his life in seclusion. William James Sidis Wikimedia Commons Though he’s known as the world’s smartest person ever, William James Sidis died at 46 after spending decades as a recluse while working low-level jobs. Believed to be the smartest person who ever lived, William James Sidis could read The New York Times when he was less than two years old. By the time he was six, he could speak multiple languages. And by age nine, he was accepted to Harvard, though the university didn’t let him attend until he was 11. But despite his supreme intelligence, William James Sidis struggled to fit in with a world that didn’t understand him. This is the tragic story of how the “smartest person in the world” died penniless and alone. William James Sidis: A Child Prodigy Like No Other On April 1, 1898, William James Sidis, the “smartest person who ever lived,” was born in Boston, Massachusetts. His parents, Ukrainian immigrants Boris and Sarah Sidis, were pretty intelligent themselves. Boris was a famed psychologist while Sarah was a doctor. From the start, William James Sidis’ parents adored their gifted son, spending untold money on books and maps to encourage his early learning. But they had no idea just how early their precious child would catch on. William James Sidis Smartest Person Ever Sidis Archives William James Sidis was widely known as the smartest person in the world, but his story ended in tragedy. When William James Sidis was just 18 months old, he was able to read The New York Times. By the time he was six years old, he could speak multiple languages, including English, French, German, Russian, Hebrew, Turkish, and Armenian. As if that wasn’t impressive enough, William James Sidis also invented his own language as a child (though it’s unclear if he ever used it as an adult). The ambitious youngster also wrote poetry, a novel, and even a constitution for a potential utopia. Boris Sidis Wikimedia Commons Boris Sidis, William’s father, was a polyglot and he wanted his son to be one as well. William James Sidis was accepted to Harvard University at the humble age of nine. However, the school wouldn’t allow him to attend classes until he was 11. While he was still a student in 1910, he lectured the Harvard Mathematical Club on the incredibly complex topic of four-dimensional bodies. The lecture was nearly incomprehensible for most people, but for those who understood it, the lesson was a revelation. William James Sidis graduated from the legendary university in 1914. He was just 16 years old. Recent News canada Inside Luka Magnotta’s Gruesome Murder Of Jun Lin By All That's Interesting The Unparalleled IQ Of William James Sidis Cambridge Massachusetts