The woman with the highest IQ in the world - and how she was mocked

She holds a place in history that few will ever reach: With a measured IQ of 228, Marilyn vos Savant possesses the highest recorded intelligence quotient ever documented. This places her far above legendary thinkers like Albert Einstein (160-190), Stephen Hawking (160), or Elon Musk (155). Yet despite this extraordinary intellect, she was eventually mocked for a simple answer—not because she was wrong, but because most people did not understand her logic.

An extraordinary mind from childhood

Marilyn vos Savant was not an ordinary student early on. At just ten years old, she could memorize entire books and devoured all 24 volumes of the Britannica Encyclopedia. The signs pointed to an unusual career— the classic fate of a true genius. But life sometimes writes different stories.

Despite her intellectual superiority, Marilyn experienced the limits of a male-dominated society. “No one was particularly interested in me, mainly because I am a girl,” she recalled later. Instead of attending an elite university, she went to a regular public school, dropped out of the University of Washington after two years, and dedicated herself to the family business. The dream of academic ascent seemed over.

The Guinness record and the path to fame

In 1985, everything changed: The Guinness Book of World Records recognized her as the “Highest IQ Record Holder.” Suddenly, Marilyn became a sensation. Her story graced the covers of major magazines like New York Magazine and Parade. She appeared on renowned shows like The Late Show with David Letterman. The attention that had previously been denied to her now poured in waves.

She was given a position as a columnist for Parade and launched her famous column “Ask Marilyn.” For someone who loved writing, this could have been a dream come true. But that dream quickly turned into a nightmare.

The Monty Hall problem – the question that changed everything

In September 1990, Marilyn received a question that would change her life. Named after host Monty Hall, it went:

You’re on a game show. In front of you are three doors. Behind one door is a car; behind the other two are goats. You choose a door. The host opens another door and reveals a goat. Should you reconsider your original choice and switch doors?

Marilyn’s answer was clear: “Yes, you should switch.”

What followed was an influx of over 10,000 letters—including nearly 1,000 from PhD holders. 90 percent of the authors agreed: Marilyn was fundamentally mistaken. The responses were devastating: “You’re the goat!”, “You totally messed up!” Even suggestive accusations were made: “Maybe women think mathematically differently than men.”

Why critics were mistaken

But Marilyn was right. Mathematical logic speaks for itself:

Scenario 1: You initially chose the door with the car (probability 1/3). If you switch, you lose.

Scenario 2: You initially chose a door with a goat (probability 2/3). The host reveals the other goat. If you switch, you win.

The probability of winning by switching is therefore 2/3—much better than the 1/3 chance of sticking with your original choice.

Later, MIT conducted computer simulations that confirmed Marilyn’s answer. The TV show MythBusters performed extensive tests and arrived at the same conclusion. Some scientists admitted their mistakes and publicly apologized.

Why people misunderstand probability

But why did so many intelligent people fail to follow Marilyn’s logic? The reasons lie in human psychology:

People tend to mentally “reset” a problem when new information is presented. They forget that the host acts knowingly and deliberately reveals a goat. Instead, many assume that all remaining doors have equal chances—a false 50 percent for each door.

The small sample size (only three doors) further complicates intuitive understanding. With larger numbers, the logic becomes clearer: imagine there are 100 doors, you pick one, and the host opens 98 doors with goats—would switching the remaining door suddenly seem much more sensible?

Marilyn vos Savant saw what others could not. She recognized patterns where others only saw confusion. Her highest IQ in the world did not bring her fame but initially contempt. But in the end, she proved that intelligence is not about being admired—it’s about being right when the whole world is against you.