4 Important Child Prodigies in Science and Tech

These exceptional children grew up to change the world.

By Avery Hurt
Aug 22, 2022 3:00 PM
Child prodigy
(Credit: Bartosz Budrewicz/Shutterstock)

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Some kids are amazing, easily mastering fields of study that most adults struggle to grasp. But not all whiz kids grow up to be special.

“Countless child prodigies lose interest in their area of talent and drop out; others become experts in their area as adults. Only a tiny few become creative adult ‘geniuses,’” writes Ellen Winner, Boston University psychologist and expert on gifted children, in the New York Times.

Though few child prodigies continue to astonish us throughout their lives, those that do often change the course of history. Here are four whiz kids who grew up to make a mark in science or tech … or both.

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