Most Grade 2 students look up to athletes or celebrities like Connor McDavid, Stephen Curry or Taylor Swift. For seven-year-old Ben Nichols, Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton and Neil deGrasse Tyson are more his style.
When Ben was four years old, he was wandering the halls of Queen’s University with his family and came across a colourful periodic table of elements that instantly sparked his passion for science.
“Since that day, Ben has been intrigued by what the universe is made up of,” said Ben’s father, Scott Nichols.
Ben’s claim to fame is his impressive ability to memorize, especially when it comes to the periodic table of elements and the origins of the word the element is named after.
When tested on the table of elements, Ben didn’t hesitate to showcase his ability, naming the fourth element on the table — beryllium — and the 73rd element — tantalum — without hesitation.
When asked if he was the the smartest kid in your classroom, Ben simply answered, “Yes.”
Ben said he memorized the entire periodic table in two weeks when he was just four years old. His mother and father say they noticed Ben was fixated on numbers before the age of two and admit they don’t share the same passions for science.
“It’s tricky to keep up with Ben, and if you were to speak with me for a little longer you’d realize the apple does fall far from the tree,” Scott said.
With the summer break on the horizon for the Nichols family, Ben plans to spend his two months off a little differently than his classmates.