Mental calculators are people with a prodigious ability in some area of mental calculation, such as multiplying large numbers or factoring large numbers. Some mental calculators are autistic savants, with a narrow area of great skill and poor mental development in other directions, but many are people of normal mental development who have simply developed advanced calculating ability. A good many are also experienced mathematicians, linguists, writers, and so on. Mental calculation is the practice of doing mathematical calculations using only the human brain, with no help from any computing devices. ... In mathematics, multiplication is an elementary arithmetic operation. ... ... An autistic savant (historically described as idiot savant) is a person with both autism and Savant Syndrome. ... Leonhard Euler, considered one of the greatest mathematicians of all time A mathematician is a person whose primary area of study and research is the field of mathematics. ... Linguistics is the scientific study of language, which can be theoretical or applied. ...

Mental calculators were in great demand in research centers such as CERN before the advent of modern electronic calculators and computers. See, for instance, the 1983 book The Great Mental Calculators, whose introduction was written by Hans Eberstark. CERN logo The European Organization for Nuclear Research (French: ), commonly known as CERN (see Naming), pronounced (or in French), is the worlds largest particle physics laboratory, situated just northwest of Geneva on the border between France and Switzerland. ... Hans Eberstark is an Austrian linguist, translator, and mental calculator. ...

Some of the world's best mental calculators gather every two years to compete for the Mental Calculation World Cup. Mental Calculation World Cup is an international competition of mental calculators. ...

Michael O'Boyle, an American psychologist previously working in Australia and now at Texas Tech University, has recently used MRI scanning of blood flow during mental operation in mathematical prodigies to display startling results. These math prodigies achieve blood flow to parts of the brain responsible for mathematical operations at six to seven times the typical flow (see Cognitive Brain Research, October, 2005). A psychologist is a scientist and/or clinician who studies psychology, the systematic investigation of the human mind, including behavior and cognition. ... The mri are a fictional alien species in the Faded Sun Trilogy of C.J. Cherryh. ... Human blood smear: a - erythrocytes; b - neutrophil; c - eosinophil; d - lymphocyte. ... In animals, the brain or encephalon (Greek for in the head), is the control center of the central nervous system, responsible for behaviour. ...

Mental calculators from history

• Aitken, Alexander Craig, [1]
• Bidder, George Parker,
• Shakuntala Devi
• Buxton, Jedediah,
• Colburn, Zerah,
• Dase, Johann Zacharias,
• Deshong, Peter M.,
• Diamandi, Pericles,
• Eberstark, Hans,
• Finkelstein, Salo,
• Fuller, Thomas,
• Rüdiger Gamm
• Gauss, Carl Frederich,
• Gamm, Rüdiger,
• Griffith, Arthur F.,
• Inaudi, Jacques,
• Klein, Wim (a.k.a. Willem Klein), [2]
• Lemaire, Alexis,
• McCartney, Daniel,
• Ruckle, Gottfried,
• Safford, Truman Henry,
• Daniel Tammet,
• John Von Neumann,

This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... George Parker Bidder George Parker Bidder (born June 14, 1806 in Moretonhampstead; died September 28, 1878) was an English engineer and calculating prodigy. ... Shakuntala Devi is a calculating prodigy who was born on November 4, 1939 in Bangalore, India. ... Jedediah Buxton (1707-1772), was a noted English mental calculator, born at Elmton, near Chesterfield, in Derbyshire. ... Zerah Colburn (1804-1840) was a famous child prodigy of the 19th century. ... Johann Martin Zacharias Dase (1824-1861) was a German mental calculator The famous mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss investigated his abilities. ... Hans Eberstark is an Austrian linguist, translator, and mental calculator. ... Salo Finkelstein (1896 or 1897, date of death unknown) was a mental calculator, ranked #8 in 100 Greatest Mental Calculators. He was born in Łódź (then within the Russian Empire, now Poland) to a Jewish family. ... Thomas Fuller Thomas Fuller (1608–August 16, 1661) was an English churchman and historian. ... Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss (Gauß) (April 30, 1777 _ February 23, 1855) was a legendary German mathematician, astronomer and physicist with a very wide range of contributions; he is considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. ... Arthur F. Griffith, nicknamed Pooze, was a calculating prodigy born July 30, 1880, in Milford, Kosciusko County, Indiana. ... Jacques Inaudi (October 15, 1867 - November 10, 1950) was an Italian calculating prodigy. ... Willem Klein (1912-1986) also known as Wim Klein, was famous for being able to carry out very complicated calculations in his head very fast. ... Alexis Lemaire (born 1980) is a French artificial intelligence researcher who is said by the British newspapers Sunday Telegraph and The Times to be the greatest human calculator in history (8 April 2005), and the worlds most agile brain by The Independent (April 17, 2005). ... Daniel was born in Westmoreland Co. ... Truman Henry Safford (1836-1901) was a US calculating prodigy. ... Daniel Paul Tammet (b. ... John von Neumann (Hungarian Margittai Neumann János Lajos) (born December 28, 1903 in Budapest, Austria-Hungary; died February 8, 1957 in Washington D.C., United States) was a Hungarian-born American mathematician who made contributions to quantum physics, functional analysis, set theory, topology, economics, computer science, numerical analysis, hydrodynamics...

Mental calculators in fiction

In Frank Herbert's novel Dune, specially trained mental calculators known as Mentats have replaced mechanical computers completely. Several important supporting characters in the novel, namely Piter De Vries and Thufir Hawat, are Mentats. Frank Patrick Herbert (October 8, 1920 – February 11, 1986) was a critically acclaimed and commercially successful American science fiction author. ... Dune is a science fiction novel written by Frank Herbert and published in 1965. ... A Mentat is a fictional profession or discipline in Frank Herberts Dune universe. ... Piter De Vries is a fictional character from Frank Herberts Dune science fiction series. ... Thufir Hawat, portrayed by Freddie Jones in the 1984 movie Thufir Hawat, portrayed by Jan Vlasák in the Dune miniseries Thufir Hawat is a fictional character in the Dune universe created by Frank Herbert. ...

Andrew Jackson "Slipstick" Libby is a calculating prodigy in Robert A. Heinlein's story "Misfit". Robert Anson Heinlein (July 7, 1907 – May 8, 1988) was one of the most popular, influential, and controversial authors of hard science fiction. ...

In Haruki Murakami's novel Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World, a class of mental calculators known as Calcutecs perform cryptography in a sealed-off portion of their brains, the results of which they are unable to access from their normal waking consciousness. Haruki Murakami , born January 12, 1949) is a popular contemporary Japanese writer and translator. ... Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World ) is a 1985 novel by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami. ... The German Lorenz cipher machine, used in World War II for encryption of very high-level general staff messages Cryptography (or cryptology; derived from Greek κρυπτός kryptós hidden, and the verb γράφω gráfo write or λεγειν legein to speak) is the study of message secrecy. ...

In the Fox television show Malcolm in the Middle, Malcolm Wilkerson displays astounding feats of automatic mental calculation, which causes him to fear his family will see him as a "freak," and causes his brother to ask, "Is Malcolm a robot?" Malcolm in the Middle was a seven-time Emmy-winning,[1] one-time Grammy-winning[1] and seven-time Golden Globe-nominated[1] American sitcom created by Linwood Boomer for the Fox Network. ... Malcolm Wilkerson is the main character and protagonist in Malcolm in the Middle. ...

Mental calculators in competition

The Mental Calculation World Cup is an international competition to attempt to find the world's best mental calculator, and also the best at specific types of mental calculation, such as multiplication or calendar reckoning. Mental Calculation World Cup is an international competition of mental calculators. ...

The top three calculators from the inaugural championships, held in 2004, were:

1	Robert Fountain
2	Jan van Koningsveld
3	Alberto Coto

The top three calculators from the second championships, held in 2006, were: Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ...

1	Robert Fountain
2	Jan van Koningsveld
3	Gert Mittring

The Mind Sports Olympiad has staged an annual world championships since 1997. Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Categories: Game stubs | Organization stubs | Organizations ...

MSO mental calculation gold medal winners

1997	Karl Galle
1998	Robert Fountain
1999	George Lane
2000	Robert Fountain
2001	John Rickard
2002	George Lane
2003	George Lane
2004	Jeffer Francia
2005	Gert Mittring
2006	Gert Mittring

The Mind Sports Organisation recognises three grandmasters of mental calculation: Robert Fountain (1999), George Lane (2001) and Gert Mittring (2005). Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Karl Galle was a German athlete. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... George Lane (1940) is a British mental calculator and author. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... John Hellyar Rickard, born 27 January 1940, was one of the Chief Economic Advisors to the British Government. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... George Lane (1940) is a British mental calculator and author. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... George Lane (1940) is a British mental calculator and author. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Philippines. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Categories: Game stubs | Organization stubs | Organizations ... George Lane (1940) is a British mental calculator and author. ...

See also

• Child prodigy
• Mental Calculation World Cup
• Mentat

A child prodigy is someone who is a master of one or more skills or arts at an early age. ... Mental Calculation World Cup is an international competition of mental calculators. ... A Mentat is a fictional profession or discipline in Frank Herberts Dune universe. ...

External links

• Prodigy Calculators by Viktor Pekelis
• Willem Klein
• Thought and machine processes
• Tricks and techniques
• 13throot.com - website about mental calculation of 13th roots
• The 100 Greatest Mental Calculators