12-year-old genius takes aim as disproving Einstein's Theory of Relativity

HAMILTON COUNTY, Ind. - What were you doing when you were 12 years old?

Playing video games? Dreaming of winning a Heisman Trophy? Maybe starting to show a little interest in the opposite sex?

It’s probably safe to say you weren’t taking on Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity.

Well, that’s what 12-year-old Jake Barnet, of Hamilton County, Indiana, is proposing. Jake has become somewhat of an Internet star thanks to YouTube videos of his ideas about mathematics and physics, which his mom shoots and posts online.

In one of the most recent videos, Jake discusses Einstein’s Theory of relativity, explaining in the description why he might have a different theory:

“My initial perception from this is that light does have mass,” Jake writes. “Obviously, energy coming out of a system where light is emitted could not be conserved otherwise. You can correct me later if I change my mind, but for the moment this is my perception.”

Jake has a mild form of autism, according to Time.com, and he also has an I.Q. of 170. He taught himself calculus, algebra and geometry in two weeks and graduated high school at the age of eight. He has been attending college-level physics classes since then.

The channel with all of his videos has thousands of hits.