On a Tuesday in July 2021, an eleven-year-old boy named Laurent Simons walked across a stage in Antwerp to accept a diploma. He did not receive a participation trophy or a primary school certificate. Instead, he accepted a bachelor’s degree in physics from the University of Antwerp.
This achievement made him the second-youngest college graduate in recorded history. While his peers were learning long division, Simons was mastering quantum mechanics and classical physics. His academic journey shocked the educational world because he completed a standard three-year curriculum in just twelve months. His graduation was not the end of his ambition but merely the first step in a specific plan to defeat death itself.
Accelerating Through Childhood
Laurent showed signs of advanced cognitive abilities at a very young age. He began primary school at four and completed the entire curriculum in a fraction of the standard time. By the age of six, he was ready for high school. He finished six years of secondary education in just eighteen months.
His parents, Lydia and Alexander Simons, supported his rapid pace. They often drove him long distances to ensure he received the education he required. The family traveled from their home in Ostend to the university in Antwerp, a trip of approximately 115 kilometers or 71 miles, so he could attend laboratory sessions and lectures. His IQ was tested at 145, allowing him to absorb information photographically.
The Dispute Over a Record
Before his success in Belgium, Laurent studied electrical engineering at the Eindhoven University of Technology in the Netherlands. His goal was to graduate before his tenth birthday in December 2019. This achievement would have made him the world’s youngest graduate, taking the title from American Michael Kearney. However, the university administration determined that the timeline was unfeasible.
They claimed he had too many exams to complete in such a short window and suggested a mid-2020 graduation date. The university cited the need for him to develop critical thinking alongside his retention of facts. Laurent and his parents rejected this offer. They immediately withdrew him from the program just weeks before the projected completion date.
Designing a Mechanical Future
Laurent enrolled at the University of Antwerp to pursue physics instead. He graduated Summa Cum Laude, the highest distinction available, with an overall score of 85 percent. He chose physics because it is the fundamental science required to understand his ultimate objective. Laurent has stated clearly that his goal is immortality. He plans to replace his biological body parts with mechanical organs to extend his life indefinitely.
His vision involves keeping the human brain alive while replacing the rest of the body with synthetic components. He describes this process as a massive puzzle where quantum physics provides the first pieces. He does not view his education as a competition but as a necessary tool to achieve his transhumanist vision. He has already mapped out his path to a master’s degree and a PhD to further his research into replacing biological tissue with technology.
In July 2021, 11-year-old Laurent Simons walked across a stage in Antwerp to accept a physics degree, not a primary school certificate.
He finished a three-year curriculum in just 12 months. But this was merely step one in his specific plan to defeat death itself…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/jQ5CDuzhbR
— Fascinating True Stories (@FascinatingTrue) December 3, 2025