At 18

19th century composer Franz Schubert wrote nearly 200 songs (including two of his best songs), 3 masses, 3 symphonies, and a great deal of piano and chamber music before turning 19.

Aretha Franklin began singing professionally.

Archaeologist David Stuart, skilled at deciphering Mayan glyphs, became the youngest recipient of a MacArthur Foundation "genius" grant.

Prolific science and science fiction writer Isaac Asimov sold his first short story to Amazing Stories.

John E. Payton, too young to drink and barely old enough to vote, drive or get married, became justice of the peace in Collin County, Texas.

Asa A. Long became the youngest U.S. checkers champion.

Edgar Allan Poe enlisted in the army and published his first book of poetry.

Norwegian mathematician Niels Henrik Abel proved that it was impossible to solve the general equation of fifth degree by algebraic means.

Elias Howe, who worked in a watchmaking shop, dreamed the idea of the sewing machine and worked on developing it for the next five years.

Leon Trotsky became a professional revolutionary.

By 18, Billy the Kid was charged with twelve murders.

Michael Sungaila began to practice the guitar as a hobby, one which he gave up 3 months later due to lack of interest.

Troy Caldwell survived driving head-on through a granite church sign, a nurse-caused drug overdose that caused him to be legally dead for five seconds, and a Forty bottle to the face, all by age 18. The next year, he devoted himself to writing.

Samantha Larson became the youngest person to climb the highest mountains on all seven continents.

Randy Gardner stayed awake for 264 hours for a high school science project.