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Intelligence means different things to different people. To some, it's how many books you've read. To others, it's about how street-smart you are. Yet, some people might surprise us with how their brains work, defying the standard definitions of intelligence.
One person might have a photographic memory; another might remember every single day of their lives in vivid detail. Even pets sometimes disturb and amaze us with how perceptive they can be. These are just some of the most interesting answers Bored Panda came across in the comments under a TikTok video by @randomquestiontime.
Scroll down to see even more unsettling examples of intelligence, like the genius carpet fitter who knew every Jeopardy answer and the dog who somehow found his way home to his owners after getting lost in an entirely different state!
More info: TikTok
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#1
I forget his name but saw a video of an Autistic guy that took a helicopter tour of New York City and then he proceeded to draw in fine detail EVERY BUILDING IN NEW YORK CITY and every one was in the correct spot.
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#2
My dog found out that if I'm gaming and he wants my attention, he unplugs the router.
Scott Rackley 2 days ago
One of my cats knows how to turn on touch lamps, so I had to get rid of those.
#3
I met Kim Peek, (Rainman) he could read both pages of a book at the same time and not only comprehend what he read, but remembered everything he ever read.
Multa Nocte 2 days ago
Kim! I used to work with him at a vocational workshop in Salt Lake City in the 70s!
#4
My grandfather in the 70s received a phone bill with all these weird long distance calls on it. He called the number and it was NASA. My uncle had figured out why their rocket wasn’t working. They kept brushing him off, but turns out he was right. He was in high school.
He is also banned from family scrabble, because he memorized the dictionary. So no one else can ever beat him.
He went on to work in tech in San Jose at the height of the tech boom in the 90s.
#5
Dolphins at a facility I volunteered at would be given fish treats for bringing trash out of their pinned lagoon. One dolphin would bring trash up quite often. One day the divers were cleaning and found the dolphin shoved a large bag into the fence and would break little pieces off to get more treats lol. This was what I was told at the facility and I thought it was great.
#6
I grew up with a kid that memorized the timing of every intersection street light in our small town. He knew when every light would change green so he could pick the fastest route.
#7
I guess the ending of almost all movies and characters intentions within a few minutes of the movie and my husband always thinks i saw it before. I hate watching predictable movies. Black Mirror was the only show I could never guess though.
#8
My parents friends dog was lost in a different state they traveled to. He was heart broken over his missing dog. Months later the dog arrived home. How did he do that?? He had to walk 100s and thousands of miles.
Tim Callahan 2 days ago
Spoiler alert: Good Samaritan sees dog, gets address from collar, drops dog off 20 yards from his house so that he has an amazing backstory.
#9
As an educator, I see highly intelligent young people NOT thriving due to family life, trauma, etc. I watch them using their intellect to survive. They could be SO much more.
Marie 1 day ago
I've just witnessed that : 2 very similar little girls. Around 5/6 both were yearning to learn to read at the same time, before they were scheduled to learn at school. 9 months later, little girl #1 is reading at the expected level at school, little girl #2 has the reading abilities of a 10-11 yo. They were given the same books and methods to learn, the only difference is the family. Little girl #1 has good parents, who spent time reading to her everyday for years but who had no clue on how to help her progress. Little girl #2 has parents and grand parents who spent time reading to her but some had backgrounds in education, and while they never did any proper teaching, they knew how to encourage and stimulate her to keep progressing. Now imagine little girl #3 with parents who are barely litterate or with parents who can't/don't want to spend time with her... When it comes to education, what you're given along the way is much more important than what you have to start with.
#10
I worked with a girl where it did not matter what the song was I mean any song. Any genre, any time period. If it was playing she knew the whole song with every word. Every word. Sometimes she would say I haven’t thought of this in 20 years.
#11
My dad never got a Jeopardy question wrong. 20 years of watching it with him and he had the answer before a contestant could hit their buzzer. He installed carpets for a living.
DrBronxx 2 days ago
My dad used to be able to do this with Who Wants to be a Millionaire (original British version). He knew all the answers except for English Geography questions. We always told him he should be on the show, but he always said "answering the questions from your living room and answering in a TV studio are two completely different things."
#12
There was a girl who missed practically every day of school,but when she did show up, she’d Ace every exam. Then she would just disappear again.
StrangeOne 2 days ago
So, she showed up just for exams? She likely did a form of home schooling, but still enrolled at the school. It's where a student will do all the work the class is doing, but at home. They can attend field trips and take exams at the school. But they would do regular schoolwork at home. It's allowed for specific reasons, such as out-of-school classes that are taken seriously and conflict with school time, or a student has had a baby and can't return back to school within the required 2 weeks to remain a student, or medical reasons.
#13
I used to babysit a non verbal autistic kid. He couldn’t talk but used sign language to communicate. He really liked puzzles so I bought him a 500 piece puzzle and he finished it in 30 minutes so next time I bought him a 1000 piece puzzle and finished it in less than an hour. He throws the pieces down flips then over so the picture is upright then scans every piece with his mind then boom he gets to it and he is like a machine putting it together, never saw him pick the wrong piece, always just knew where everything goes. It was fascinating to watch. He did puzzles most days I watched him. Anyways 25 years later and my son is autistic he isn’t into puzzles though. My son’s favorite thing is rocks.
Never Snarky 2 days ago
New a man who would work 1000 piece puzzles starting at the top row and work his way down, row by row.
#15
I saw a seagul eating some random food on the ground..a crow flew down and created a diversion for another crow to come swipe the food away... they both enjoyed the food together later.
#16
I used to work with a guy who was able to remember, in vivid detail, every single day of his entire life. He loved asking people what their date of birth was and then telling them exactly what he did that day.
Tim Callahan 2 days ago
“I’m not interested in what YOU did that day. Tell me what I did that day, smarty-pants.”
#17
My father could walk into the woods for miles with no map, flagging or trail. He could then find his back out of the forest. I followed and watched him do this several times.
#18
My dog and cat know EXACTLY when the clock hits 5pm. How do animals know the exact time for their meal?! Like, I’m sure they can tell around the time, but exactly?? It’s weird to me.
#19
I was in a Latin American literature class in college and during class discussions this guy could quote entire passages from books and tell you what page they were on.
WindySwede 2 days ago
Could he interpret their meaning, or just remember. Not necessarily the same?
#20
My 6yr old has processing issues. But he can build anything and it’s insane. The other day I watched him in his own world replicate a Lego car model by studying the cover and talking to himself about the parts. He didn’t even open the manual.
#21
I know a guy who can barely read at a 2nd grade level but he can build or fix anything and everything.
Tara Noe 2 days ago
I know a mechanic exactly like this. I watched him take a an oil drum and simply build a showroom ready multi-function barbecue with different levels like it was a a 10 piece LEGO set. Can't read, but he can reroute electrical systems and come up with creative ways to fix cars that definitely aren't in any textbooks.
#22
Whenever i’m lied to, i get like a physical feeling in my stomach and i’ve NEVER been wrong, it’s caused issues in my relationship. Pretty odd.
#23
I think songwriting is super impressive. Like I’m pretty confident in my creative abilities but songwriting is the one thing my brain can’t handle. I think it’s amazing how people can hear a beat and make a completely new song that hasn’t been heard before, when there are MILLIONS (if not trillions idk) of songs that already exist.
DrBronxx 2 days ago (edited)
I don't know why, but the older I get, the more this amazes me. That people can just create something new that millions of people love. Then I think about The Beatles - arguably the most iconic group in history, with so many amazing songs, and they were all still in their 20s when they broke up. Kurt Cobain is another one. So young, but so ridiculously talented, with interesting thoughts.
#24
My dog who somehow figured out how to get out of her harness and then somehow was able to manage to teach our other dog how to do it too, I still can't figure out how they did it to this day.
#25
My dad scored almost perfect on his SATs but joined the military to get out of living in his car as a teen. He could fix ANYTHING mechanical or electrical. Man was a completely underrated genius but struggled his whole life.
UnclePanda 2 days ago
I knew a whole family like this and it describes me well as well - "They all have a touch of genius and not a clue what to do with it."
#26
On a walk with my dog, I got lost in the trail. At some point, my dog literally pulled me to a different direction and make sure I followed him back. He found our way home.
#27
I worked w a little autistic girl who was able to keep time without a clock and know the temperature outside with INSANE accuracy, it was so cool.
#28
My great grandpa had some hunting dogs that he was selling. This was in the late 70s early 80s. Sold the dogs to a man that lived about an hour away, roughly 100 miles from his home. Man called my grandpa the next morning said one of the dogs got out and went missing. My grandpa said “okay? well I doubt he’s here but I can give you your money back for him?”. The man said “no that’s alright just thought I’d let you know”. Now my great grandpa was an honest man through and through. He said the next day he got up to get eggs and that hound was curled up laying on his back porch….
#29
Friends son didn’t start to talk until late. Just sat and looked at books a lot. Seemed a little slow. Turns out he was teaching himself how to read. As in before age 2.
#30
I took college trig with a guy that didn’t use a calculator and lost his books. Most of the time he was the first to finish a test. He finished top of the class.
#31
People who can play all kinds of musical instruments and have never taken a formal class...they just know how to play. I'm convinced they are reincarnated, and they used to be musicians and their past lives.
Saltypepper 13 hours ago
Of course they are ,that's the only explanation as to why they can do that
#32
Anyone who is emotionally stable is extremely intelligent. It takes security, self belief, a deep level of empathy, an awareness to your state of being and how that may be perceived to truly be emotionally stable.
#33
When my son was about 7, he started, and held, an entire conversation with my high school students over DNA, methylation of DNA, and how that impacts generations trauma and growth. I mean, I'm a scientist and a science teacher, but I don't remember ever talking about genomes around him- plus...he was 7 and applied all the knowledge correctly.
#34
My son used to lay in bed at night and before he fell asleep would retrace every thought he had throughout the day — backwards. Starting with his most recent thought, he would remember what thought led up to that one, and then what thought before had led up to that thought, and so on and so forth until he got to his first thought of the day when he woke up that morning.
#35
I once knew a guy who would ask your birthdate, and then he would tell you the weather on your birthday in any city you were born in. He was spot on, and before the Internet. We used to go lookup weather records to verify it. He knew the humidity, high/low, sunrise/sunset times, cloud cover and whether it rained/snowed.
Michael Largey 1 day ago
I already knew the weather, because my mother so often said "It was a dark, dark day when you were born."
#36
I work with autistic children I had a severe migraine one day, didn’t tell a soul but carried on working. One of my students asked me to hold her hand, then after a couple of minutes said “you’ve got a really bad headache haven’t you.“
Svenne O'Lotta 1 day ago
It's really not that hard to read facial expressions and recognize when someone is feeling pain. You think you're hiding it but you're not.
#37
I've never needed an alarm, always wake when I set the time in my head, tried it with odd times like 8.17am never figured it out.
#38
I’ve always felt that people with quick, witty, smart comebacks are very intelligent.
#39
Manipulation. Like understanding how everyone thinks so well. Everyone thinks differently but manipulators can understand every single different type of mind and think of convoluted plans to get those minds to do things they want.
Detroit Citizen 1 day ago
They are great at reading people, fine little mundane things that are usually just run of the mill stuff. They cue into one thing, a little nugget of something you said or did, hold onto it till needed. Those little things that seem meaningless that you say or do, is what is used against you. Guilt or sympathy, Ego (stroke their ego or take their side with stuff), commonalities. You find a way to separate them but make them feel unique and special too and you charm them. It really is making them think their idea was their own and not yours all along. Manipulators are very observant, tend to be quieter, and very charming. Also manipulators are manipulating themselves just as much as their victim. They have to make themselves manipulate others..
#40
There was a kid in my high school chem class that memorized and recited everyone’s birthdays perfectly, after we each went around and said them ONCE. About 25 kids or so.
#41
my 30yr old african grey parrot. every morning he repeatedly says "are you there?" until I wake up ....when we leave the house he says ill see you later...a bird.
#43
My gifted son. Taught himself how to read by the age of 2.5, he could read Russian (self taught) by the age of 3. Was doing intro to algebra at that age too. He has perfect pitch, too. What amazes me the most though, is how naturally good he is with people. He likes to be a leader. He is 7 now, can charm his way out of anything or into anyone’s heart if you give him just a few minutes.
#44
My best friend's family, all have photographic memory and are all doctors....go figure.
#45
I noticed that a sunflower in my garden had a half eaten stalk, but figured I’d wait to see if it still bloomed. A few days later, I noticed that the sunflower had turned itself all the way around in a full 360 & like, bandaged itself.
#46
A kid I used to nanny was in foster care and was insanely clever he was 8 and knew all his times tables and could just go forever because he had such good pattern recognition. Safe to say he beat me everytime we played cards. It’s sad because he was so bored at school and no one was giving him the push he needed.
KatWitch57 14 hours ago
There was a time when, if you didn't know all your times tables by the age of 8, you got to take a letter home to your parents.
#47
People who can memorise phrases and sentences in accuracy, like lines from movies for example, along with people who correctly memorise lyrics after a few listens. I feel most people can, but for whatever reason it’s something I struggle with. I can quote what I believe was the meaning behind something, but not the exact words and it gets me in trouble at times.
#48
friend, give him 100 random words in any order e.g. 3 is shoe, 79 is helicopter etc... he could recite 1-100 perfectly. called it "ridiculous association" could do it all day long as a money hustle.
#49
My pattern recognition freaks people out. It makes me look like I can see into other dimensions.
#50
My dad auditioned for jeopardy. He didn't make it on... he could answer every question. He never watched it. but if it was in in the background he could answer the question just half listening to it. he was a science teacher for 35 years.
Svenne O'Lotta 1 day ago
Because that's not how they cast for Jeopardy. You have to be good in front of a camera.
#51
My cat told me I was pregnant. She got up on my lap kneaded on my stomach then put her ear to it. She’s never done that before and never did it again.
#52
My dad is dyslexic with letters and numbers. However, if you ask him any percentage question he will calculate it and answer the exact amount without any pen, paper or calculator. Ask him what’s 7% out of 100 or 25% of 3 billion he will answer correctly. He wanted to be an accountant but he didn’t finish school because he got my mom pregnant and had to work 3 jobs. My mom worked 2.
#53
My ex used about 30 different manipulation tactics on me in less than a year. My therapist was stunned.
#54
I could read and write before I went to school. It seemed to disturb my teacher greatly. She even complained to my parents.
Svenne O'Lotta 1 day ago
I taught myself too. I wanted more stories than my parents had time to read for me. My teacher didn't like this. But she sure as héll wasn't disturbed, it's really not that uncommon 😆
#55
Everyone thought I was weird when I would sleep in EVERY class like genuinely sleep to where I’d have to be shaken awake and then I’d answer every question the teacher asked correctly aced most of my tests and when I would tell people I could hear while I slept no one believed even now I genuinely can hear everyone around me while I sleep idk why or what it’s called but it doesn’t bother me.
Svenne O'Lotta 1 day ago
It means you're not sleeping deeply enough and your brain isn't getting the rest it needs.
#56
I know a guy able to finish anyone sentence basically telling ppl they are predictable.
#57
A cousin of mine built a functional crane out of a spare lego bag i've bought him... I'm scared.
#58
Small children are able to completely absorb a second language in a few weeks by simply talking to someone that speaks a different language.
Power puff scientist 2 days ago (edited)
That’s highly exaggerated. They need years to even learn their first language. They learn a second language much faster but not by just talking with someone who speaks a totally different language.
#60
My son can catch a fish with literally any kind of equipment, or none at all. When he was 10, he picked up some string from the ground and a safety pin, found a grub and put it in the water. He had an edible-sizedfish in under a minute. At 17, a fish just swam into his hand.
#61
Conspiracy theorists that end up being 100% right. Or people who have an insanely high amount of cognitive empathy but lack affective empathy.
#62
I had a friend who could manipulate anyone, I’d see him get what he wanted everytime without fail, whether that be financial, societal or sexual needs, I drew the line where it got so bad where he manipulated someone into doing something for me that I didn’t ask for and I felt genuinely horrific. He never asked a thing from me at any point, so I had nothing to give him, I wonder to this day what he got from our friendship I am not aware of, it’s like he saw me as a genuine friend, like we’d do friend things but then he’d show me someone he’s messaging and their chat history and it’d genuinely disturb me.
Tabitha 1 day ago (edited)
Sounds like every successful salesperson I have ever met. Worked with too many of them at different companies for too many years (not as a salesperson, in other departments at different companies, but witnessed them all in action way too many times). That kind of familiarity with their tactics means I can smell the manipulations a mile away and do not respond to them anymore. I cannot stand the majority of salespeople at all, and those I do like are the rare unicorns who don’t play the games but are honest with me and get straight to the point. I’ve already done my own research nd made my own decision. I just need a couple questions answered before I buy.
#63
I’ve seen deer ‘crouch run’ as to not be seen by hunters. I’ve also seen a deer back track its own blood trail and jump several feet off of said track to try and lose hunters. Our prize is them, their prize is their life.
#64
My professor from uni would walk into the room of noisy students quietly and everyone would be alerted by his presence. And with just one stare alone without saying anything, everyone quiets down to listen to his lecture.
#65
Back in the days when we used to flip through tv channels I could give you the name of any tv show or movie that appeared on the screen in less than a second. I didn’t think it was a big deal until someone was so amazed by it.
#67
I forgot my debit card one day and didn’t realize it until I was getting ready to pay. I asked if I could just give him my debit card number and he said yeah. I told him all the digits, expiration date and the three digit code on the back. When it went through he was shooketh. He said he never seen anything like that in his life I just laughed and saw yeah I can do stuff sometimes and walked out with my coffee.
#68
My Dad was born mute. They thought he couldn’t speak so they just let him go on as a mute, he never spoke. At age 4 he asked for some more broccoli. His parents were shocked, asked if he could speak, he said yes, they asked why he didn’t talk for 4yrs, he said he had nothing to say. He ended up getting 2 PhD’s, was a professor, found out after he [passed] that he worked for the CIA.
#69
My teacher held a conference with my parent in 9th because all I would do in class was sleep but end up getting 90-100 on test.
#70
My cat used to leave me “presents” every single holiday & on my birthdays. Without fail he’d do it, no idea how.
#71
I can basically be shown how to do something once, or read instructions once and then do it. EVERY craft ive ever picked up, i mastered. Knitting, crochet, paint, peyote stitches. Mechanic, diesel mechanics, motorcycles, smaller engines like 2 stroke etc. I can do electrical, plumbing, carpentry. I get so bored so quick i find new things to learn.
#72
Being an empath is a kind of intelligence itself. Imagine having the ability to feel what they do, to notice even the subtlest nuances, and from that you could try a lot of experiments which will lead to different outcomes.
Svenne O'Lotta 1 day ago
People who tell you they are empaths are really just super self absorbed and incapable of seeing their own flaws.
#73
I dunno I have always been able to write forwards and backwards, and upside down forwards and backwards….people told me that’s “unnatural” lol. Okay
#74
There was a man who lived in my old apartment complex I was seeing. After a few months of seeing him the management pulled me aside and asked who he was because he would wait in common areas til he saw me. They said he didn’t live there. He told me he was a doctor. He gave me a fake name. When I had a friend that works in tech look into his website showing he’s a doctor and the services he does it showed the website was made the day we met. When I confronted him the website was taken down and he disappeared. I took karate classes later on and I caught him watching me during class. He was wearing a really good cover up too. He then left when he saw I noticed. It’s scary but he’s honestly the smartest person I’ve met.
What do you think ?
Multa Nocte 2 days ago
Current article header = “Once You Spot It, You Lose All Trust” - Why would anyone lose trust in someone who is quite intelligent? That is what is happening in the US right now. Anyone with the tiniest spark of intelligence is being cast as a bad guy because they dare use their brains and call out the current sham government. We should be celebrating intelligence, not castigating it.
Kelly Scott 1 day ago
My only claim to fame is that I can look at a maze in a drawing and then find my way through it in several seconds just by looking. It's a fun trick to do but it's nothing that's gonna pay the bills.
Laszlo Larthlanc 1 day ago
I had an orange tabby who adopted us and stayed with us until he died from metastasizing mast cell tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. He was the smartest cat I've ever known, and I've known a couple. On one occasion I watched him circle the hole of a ground squirrel, examining it, and then using a paw to pull excavated dirt back into the hole. Then, he parked himself like a Sphinx in front of the hole and just waited for the squirrel to clear the hole. He got the squirrel.
Multa Nocte 2 days ago
Current article header = “Once You Spot It, You Lose All Trust” - Why would anyone lose trust in someone who is quite intelligent? That is what is happening in the US right now. Anyone with the tiniest spark of intelligence is being cast as a bad guy because they dare use their brains and call out the current sham government. We should be celebrating intelligence, not castigating it.
Kelly Scott 1 day ago
My only claim to fame is that I can look at a maze in a drawing and then find my way through it in several seconds just by looking. It's a fun trick to do but it's nothing that's gonna pay the bills.
Laszlo Larthlanc 1 day ago
I had an orange tabby who adopted us and stayed with us until he died from metastasizing mast cell tumors of the gastrointestinal tract. He was the smartest cat I've ever known, and I've known a couple. On one occasion I watched him circle the hole of a ground squirrel, examining it, and then using a paw to pull excavated dirt back into the hole. Then, he parked himself like a Sphinx in front of the hole and just waited for the squirrel to clear the hole. He got the squirrel.
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