A new report says genes don't contribute to genius. Scientists identified only six genes linked with intelligence to any degree of significance, but even those accounted for just 1 per cent of the differences in IQ between individuals. Upbringing, education and a healthy diet in early life had important roles to play in helping to nurture intelligence. The research also means testing the potential intelligence of new-born babies - or improving it with genetic engineering - could be impossible. The researchers said a study of the human genome revealed hundreds of genes which contribute to IQ, but their individual effects are barely detectable.... http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1869012007 My parents have "average" IQs of 120-140.
But since I've tested at 166 and 168, I did not inherit their average intelligence. I just read that children have tested over 250. I guess I am just average.
That would seem to make sense. Since you were taught differently and minor adjustment to problem solving have been refined. The three tests i took put me between 150 and 170.
Where does the article say that genes don't contribute to genius? I didn't see it anywhere. At most, it said that the intelligence influencing genes we know about right now don't make much of a difference. That really doesn't mean a damn thing. There could be hundreds or thousands of genes contributing to intelligence that we don't understand and their cumulative effect could end up being extremely influential. Furthermore, I don't know where the article got the idea that half of the variance in intelligence comes from genes and half comes from environmental factors. Most identical twin studies I've heard of indicate that the heritability of IQ to be at 80% and higher. Actually, we already have this thread kicking around here. Here it is. http://www.sciforums.com/showthread.php?t=60721
The IQ test was designed to be a bell curve with 100 being average (or at least the mean). Scores have been increasing, overall, so perhaps that has inched up a couple points but the average is certainly not 120.
