Child Prodigies: 20 Astounding Young Wunderkinds From Around The Globe

From a seven-year-old surgeon to a 16-year-old who speaks 23 languages, the seemingly superhuman intelligence of child prodigies has long been a subject of public fascination. And it's no wonder -- while most of their peers are still learning to read, these wunderkinds have accomplished feats unimaginable even to many adult experts in their fields.

Whether they're solving mind-boggling equations, preparing nine-course meals, or building nuclear reactors, these geniuses are still just kids and teens doing what they love. As 17-year-old scientific whiz kid Taylor Wilson desribed his passion for physics: "When I hold something that's radioactive, it's kind of an indescribable feeling. It's kind of like when I'm with my girlfriend."

Click through the slideshow below to read the amazing stories of these 20 underage ingenues -- and prepare to be astounded.