09/26/2026
The real Young Sheldon?
Laurent Simons, a 15-year-old from Belgium, has received a PhD in quantum physics, becoming one of the youngest people in modern history to hold a doctorate in the field.
His academic path started unusually early and never let up. He entered primary school at four and completed it by six. At nine, he briefly pursued electrical engineering before turning to physics. By twelve, he had finished a Bachelor of Physics at the University of Antwerp, compressing a standard three-year program into just eighteen months. That same year, he earned a master's degree in quantum physics — covering bosons and black holes — while completing a competitive internship in quantum optics at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.
Earlier this week, Laurent successfully defended his doctoral thesis at the University of Antwerp, titled "Bose Polarons in Superfluids and Supersolids," which examines how particles behave in extreme quantum environments. He reportedly carries an IQ of 145, classified as "highly gifted" — a level reached by roughly 0.1 percent of people.
His father captured the balancing act behind it all simply: "There are two Laurents, the scientist and the boy." Tech companies in both the US and China have reportedly approached his parents hoping to bring him into their research centers. His parents have turned every offer down so far.
Laurent's goals reach well beyond physics. At eleven, after losing both of his grandparents, he set a new aim for himself: not just earning a PhD, but working toward extending human life.