For some people, a high IQ signifies intelligence, while others believe that a person's accomplishments reveal how smart they truly are. It may be hard for people to agree on what separates the bright from the dim, but some facts cannot be disputed.

According to SuperScholar.org, 50 percent of people possess an IQ between 90 and 110. Roughly 2.5 percent of individuals have an IQ over 130, while .5 percent are considered to be geniuses with an IQ that sits above 140. Only 2.5 percent of people have an IQ under 70.

When it comes to IQs, however, even Mensa International is skeptical of scores. According to the society's website, different tests have different scales. This means the same person who scores 132 on one assessment could get a 148 on another.

Despite all the debate that can arise when discussing the results of an IQ test, SuperScholar created a list of who it believes are the 10 smartest people alive today, based on a mix of their intellectual and professional credentials.

Among these individuals was theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who possesses an IQ of 160 and has received 14 awards of recognition; actor James Woods, who has an IQ of 180 and three Emmy Awards; and Christopher Hirata, who at 30 years old has an IQ of 225 and was working with NASA when he was just 16.