Meet Laurent Simons, 16-year-old PhD holder researching how to slow ageing

At 15, most teenagers are preparing for higher secondary examinations or thinking about university. Laurent Simons was already defending a doctoral thesis in theoretical quantum physics. The Belgian researcher completed his first PhD at the University of Antwerp in November 2025, aged 15. Simons' academic journey had begun years earlier. Long before his PhD, he had become internationally known as a child who moved through formal education at an unusually fast pace. Now, his research interests have moved beyond quantum physics. He is pursuing another doctorate connected to medical science and artificial intelligence, with an interest in understanding ageing and extending human life.His academic journey began unusually earlySimons (now 16) was born in Belgium and attracted attention as a young child because of his ability to absorb academic material quickly. According to Dutch news broadcaster NOS, he started primary school at the age of two.