What makes a genius? Is it science, genetics, or good old-fashioned luck? That’s what journalist Claudia Kalb set out to research in What Makes a Genius?, her newest article for the May 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine.

Kalb looked into the science of genius, researching and interviewing those trying to figure out just what elevates someone from being simply intelligent to transforming history. When it comes to common factors in genius, curiosity is certainly a big one. Others include intelligence, perseverance, productivity, and simple good fortune.

But what about female geniuses in history? Is there a reason why the majority of names associated with the word “genius” throughout history belong to men? I spoke with Kalb about her research and where women fit into the picture.

Cover of National Geographic magazine’s May 2017 issue. (Credit: National Geographic)

“Lack of support can stunt prospects for potential geniuses; they never get the chance to be productive,” Kalb writes in her article. “Throughout history women have been denied formal education, deterred from advancing professionally, and under-recognized for their achievements.”

A woman of particular interest to Kalb was Mozart’s older sister, Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart. A brilliant harpsichordist, she performed alongside her brother as a child until she reached the marriageable age of 18. Her father, who wanted her to settle down, ended her career.

By having her promising career cut short, Nannerl wasn’t able to fulfill a key element to genius: productivity. Geniuses must produce work that will live on through the decades or centuries. For musicians, that legacy is left through their compositions. Kalb pondered whether or not this kept Nannerl from reaching the genius level of her brother. Regardless, the comparison of siblings was fascinating.

“That’s such a good example. They were close in age, both enormously talented, and yet the impact they left behind is so strikingly different," Kalb says.

Portraits of Maria Anna Mozart and her brother, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, as children in 1763. (Via Wikipedia Commons)

Not that there haven’t been female geniuses in history or living today. There are names we hear often, such as Hypatia, Ada Lovelace, Marie Curie, Mary Shelley, and Rear Admiral Dr. Grace Hopper, who have all made it into our history books.

There have also been many female geniuses whose history-making work didn’t come to light until much later, such as Rosalind Franklin’s discoveries regarding the structure of DNA, or the incredible African-American women of NASA, Dr. Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughn, and Mary Jackson, whose contributions to the Space Program in the 1960s (and beyond) were finally brought into the spotlight in the book, and subsequent film, Hidden Figures. It’s not that female genius isn’t there. It may just come down to recognition.

For example, the Nobel Prize has been awarded to 881 individuals since its inaugural ceremony in 1901. Of those 881 Nobel Laureates, only 48 have been women.

“There no way that those numbers accurately reflect the ability of women,” Kalb says. “But they do accurately reflect, at least historically, an imbalance in recognizing women’s accomplishments compared to men.”

Physicist and Chemist Marie Curie is the only woman in history to win the Nobel Prize twice. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

For Kalb, one interesting thing about genius and gender is that the potential for intelligence and creativity exists from the very beginning. It’s just the outcome that’s different for men and women.

Those outcomes were highlighted in her research on the Terman study. The study began in the 1920s and followed the progress of over 1,500 children in California, both boys and girls, who had an IQ generally above 140. Many children grew up to win awards and achieved success in their fields. Others dropped out of college or off the radar entirely. And still others, who didn’t make the initial IQ cut, went on to become geniuses in their own right. But one number was particularly staggering: of all the highly-intelligent women in the Terman study, 50% ended up as homemakers — completely leaving their fields.

Whether that was a product of gender expectations of the time, a lack of interest, or gender bias they faced, Kalb says we can never fully know. Yet, there is a constant factor among the female geniuses she found in her research.

“It’s never an easy or simple path for women who achieve greatness. It requires enormous grit and persistence,” she says. “I think it’s also critical to believe in one’s own ability, but sometimes it can be difficult to find that confidence to keep going.”

Dr. Katherine Johnson watches Hidden Figures, a film about her history-making contributions to NASA’s Space Program. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

So how do we support the young geniuses in our lives?

“It’s important that parents not try to coach their child into becoming a prodigy or a genius or the smartest person on the planet,” Kalb says. “What’s crucial is nurturing and enriching a child’s own interest and passion.”

Kalb believes there is a reason that most child prodigies do not grow up to become geniuses, specifically that the regimented practice schedules and pressure can take away from the enjoyment and exploration of talent, which often leads to burnout. Geniuses must have space to explore, fail, tinker, and create on their own to continue a lifetime of productivity. Since they likely won’t be winning awards every year of their lives, maintaining that curiosity is key.

While the legacy of many female geniuses have been lost to history, Kalb is optimistic about the future for brilliant women. That includes our renewed interest in female geniuses of the past who may not have received the credit they deserved.

“It’s really revealing to learn that women have been contributing in these extraordinary ways all along,” Kalb says.

To learn more about the science of genius, read Claudia Kalb’s full article in the May 2017 issue of National Geographic magazine, or online here.