Study proves humanity is becoming less intelligent — here is the reason

Throughout the last century, average intelligence test scores worldwide rose consistently from generation to generation. However, a new study published in the journal "Intelligence" reveals a completely opposite picture: an analysis of hundreds of thousands of tests collected in the USA between 2006 and 2018 shows that scores have begun to decline.

Researchers examined data from nearly 400,000 American adults across a variety of tests assessing reasoning, logic, and spatial abilities. Unlike in the past, the results indicated a general decline in scores, with the sharpest drop recorded among young people aged 18 to 22. The researchers found that the decline primarily affected the ability to solve problems involving logic and abstract thinking.

However, not everything is negative: in one area, there was actually an impressive improvement — the capacity for spatial perception and 3D imagination, an ability that is perhaps strengthened by the use of computer games.

In the past, the consistent rise in scores was attributed to improvements in living conditions, such as better nutrition and accessible education. But in recent years, even before the era of artificial intelligence or the COVID-19 pandemic, the trend has reversed. Experts wonder whether the shift from reading deep books to short, fast scrolling on social networks like TikTok is changing the way our brain thinks and processes information. Although the exact reason is still being researched, it is clear that the human brain is changing and adapting to the fast digital world in which we live today.