Twenty Years On

Robert Graham died in 1997, aged 90, while attending a meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Within two years, the foundation had folded and all donations and documentation were disposed of. The secrets behind his super-sperm, ultra-achiever dream largely died with him.

It’s estimated that 230 children were born as a result of Graham’s genetic experiment. Since few of the identities of the ‘genius kids’ are known, the true extent of its success remains a mystery. However, some have gone public - Doron Blake has been the most visible.

Believed to be the Repository’s second child, Blake was exceptional from birth. We know this because his mother, Afton Blake, made countless appearances with her donor child, practically from the day he was born. Doron estimates that he’d done 100 interviews by the age of 18.

That amount of interest is hardly surprising when you consider his development:
· moving his hands in time with classic music as a newborn baby
· using a computer aged two
· reading Shakespeare and learning algebra in the nursery
· demonstrating a measured IQ of 180 aged 6
· emerging as a talented musician and mathematical whiz kid

Still, he doesn’t believe that his part in Graham’s experiment has improved him as a person,
 “I don't think being intelligent is what makes a person. What makes a person is being raised in a loving family with loving parents who don't pressure them. The thing I like best about myself is not that I'm smart but that I care about people and try to make other people's lives better. I don't think you can breed for good people."

Of course, the main problem comes with determining whether any of the genius kids’ abilities come from nature or nurture. And this is especially difficult with Robert Graham’s genius kids. Are they a product of their genes or their surroundings? Part of Graham’s stipulation for insemination was love, care and attention in a financially secure home. Consequently, it’s impossible to establish how much of their intelligence was influenced by their social background.