Some people know a lot about a variety of topics, and having a conversation with them can give you a glimpse into how their minds work. As they connect seemingly unrelated things in a way that somehow makes sense, you may feel like you’re watching a magician at work. These people are known as “intellectual omnivores.” You may know an intellectual omnivore or may be one yourself.

So what is an intellectual omnivore? An omnivore consumes a little from every category, not feasting on just one food group. Intellectual omnivores do the same thing, but with subjects.

Having an ‘interest in everything’

“Intellectual omnivore” isn’t a scientific or educational term. The first documented person to use this term was Amy Gutmann, who once served as the U.S. ambassador to Germany and the president of the University of Pennsylvania. In 2015, when her former Princeton colleague, Angus Deaton,........

© Upworthy