What do you think is the biggest reason someone becomes a brilliant scientist? A recent study shows that more than 75% of Nobel Prize winners in science come from the richest 5% of families. The average Nobel Prize winner grew up in a family that was richer than 87% of other families. This shows that most top scientists come from a small, wealthy group. Think about how many smart people are out there who could become great scientists but don’t have the same resources. It’s also interesting that female Nobel winners usually come from even richer families (the 91st percentile). This suggests that women need more family support to overcome extra challenges in science. To me, the message is clear: giving more people access to education isn’t just fair, it’s necessary. If we want to solve the big problems our world faces, we need to make sure everyone has the chance to learn and succeed.
What would you think is the most important predictor of scientific brilliance? 🤔 A recent study shows that over 75% of Nobel laureates in the sciences came from the top 5% families in terms of income. The average Nobel Prize winner grew up in an 87th percentile household. This suggests that most scientific talent is drawn from a very small elite group. Imagine how much untapped potential is out there—people with brilliant minds but fewer resources. Also telling, Female laureates tend to come from even more elite families (91st percentile), suggesting additional barriers that family resources help mitigate. For me, the conclusion is clear: expanding access to educational opportunity isn’t just the fair and right thing to do, but also essential if we are going to find solutions for the most important problems facing our planet.
