Genius

A research team based in China, including scientists in the United Kingdom and the United States, has 2,000 DNA samples and expects to collect thousands more around the globe to determine the source of intelligence, writes John Bohannon for Wired. A US researcher has theorized that genetic mutations may reduce intelligence, and a hunt is on to isolate variations, identify a genetic basis for high scores on intelligence tests and then boost collective scores by screening embryos during in vitro fertilization. Research on twins shows that 50 to 80 percent of intelligence may be genetic. Bohannon describes the lead researcher as a pragmatist who suggests that hard work may not pay off for all and doesn’t want so many students wasting their time; the 21-year-old dropped out of high school to pursue this project. Medical research of all types seeks to eliminate perceived flaws, yet genetics is complex and odd correlations are inevitable. Research linking intelligence to heritability or ethnicity will test ethical boundaries. Yet many parents are keen to give birth to perfect children. – YaleGlobal