Has humanity reached ‘peak intelligence’?

Re:Has humanity reached ‘peak intelligence’? by ghgdynb1 on Friday April 02, 2021 @05:04PM (#26675986)

People have definitely gotten smarter. Here’s a small case which might help illustrate how this happens in general: We know infection with hookworms and other soil-transmitted helminths will do nasty things to the intelligence of the patient, especially for children. Since humanity got rich enough to build sewer systems and shoes and anti-parasitic drug companies, soil transmitted helminths have become a lot less of a problem (and the same goes for their cognitive effects).

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Re:Has humanity reached ‘peak intelligence’? by nwah1 on Friday April 02, 2021 @05:19PM (#26676106)

Iodine deficiency and leaded gasoline are other examples.

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Re:Has humanity reached ‘peak intelligence’? by wcarss on Friday April 02, 2021 @05:25PM (#26676175)

I just learned about the awful effects of iodine deficiency and how incredibly widespread it once was the other day from a youtube suggestion[1] about iodized salt.

Previously I had thought iodization was mostly for preventing thyroid issues in the event of nuclear fallout, but no! It was a way bigger deal. For example, I had no idea it was the origin of the term "cretin"[2].

1 - https://youtu.be/B00K66HivcI

2 - https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cretin

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Re:Has humanity reached ‘peak intelligence’? by mrfusion on Friday April 02, 2021 @06:37PM (#26676671)

Sadly a lot of salt in the stores now boasts iodine-free.

I actually had to buy the cheapest 99 cent salt shaker to get one with iodine and I add a few sprinkles to most of my kids meals. Just to be safe.

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Re:Has humanity reached ‘peak intelligence’? by LukeShu on Friday April 02, 2021 @06:01PM (#26676425)

TIL that "cretin" and "Cretan" aren't the same word. I guess I'm glad to know that the etymology is ableist instead of racist.

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Re:Has humanity reached ‘peak intelligence’? by slibhb on Friday April 02, 2021 @06:40PM (#26676690)

My dismissal was too strong but the article says "even the average person today would have been considered a genius compared to someone born in 1919". I find that incredibly hard to believe.

Even if average intelligence has climbed up, genius is about the absolute top of the heap and I doubt that has changed.

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Re:Has humanity reached ‘peak intelligence’? by faitswulff on Friday April 02, 2021 @05:37PM (#26676245)

Isn't IQ a relative test, though? Doesn't this just mean that there's a growing intelligence gap between the average person and the most intelligent?

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