Robert Koch was incredibly smart when he was a boy

Koch was born on December 11, 1843, by Hermann Koch (1814–77) and Mathilde Julie Henriette (née Biewend, 1818–1871), in Clausthal, Germany. His mother was constantly working to make ends meet while his father worked as a mining engineer. The third of thirteen siblings, he was born. He was intellectually gifted from a young age. Robert Koch's intelligence allowed him to teach himself to read when he was only five years old, which is one of the interesting facts about Robert Koch. His ability to do so amazed every member of his family, especially considering that he utilized outdated newspapers to aid in his educational pursuits. He attended his local Gymnasium known as a high school in Germany, where he developed a strong interest in biology and chemistry.

In 1862, Koch enrolled in the University of Göttingen to study natural science at the age of 19. He started studying botany, physics, and math. He was given an assistant position at the pathological museum of the university. He changed his topic of study to medicine after three semesters since he wanted to become a doctor. Jacob Henle, an anatomist who developed a theory of contagion in 1840, encouraged him to take part in his research study on uterine nerve anatomy during his fifth semester of medical school. He received a research award from the university as a result of his work, which also allowed him to spend some time studying under Rudolf Virchow, who was at the time regarded as "Germany's most known physician." In his sixth semester, Koch started working as a research assistant at the Physiological Institute. He focused on the production of succinic acid, a signaling chemical that is also crucial for the mitochondria's metabolism. This would ultimately serve as the dissertation's foundation. He graduated from medical school in January 1866 with the highest honors, maxima cum laude.