Humanity Is Becoming Dumber Because Smart People Have Fewer Children, Study Says

Education is the way for humans to train their brains and make it sharper. This is important because the brain is what allowed humanity to dominate the planet in the first place, which should emphasize the importance of education. In a recent study, however, it was found that humans are becoming less inclined towards pursuing education because accomplished people are having fewer children than their counterparts.

As Futurism points, Genomics or the study of genetics has allowed scientists to understand humanity at their most basic level. It allowed researchers to look into the genetic variations across a population. What they found was that the specific genetic variations found in humans with excellent accomplishments in education are in a decline.

The main reason for why genetic propensity for pursuing higher education is becoming rarer is the tendency among accomplished individuals and couples to have children. This resulted in a significant decline in subjects that have the right genetic variation, which makes them inclined to pursue a doctorate.

One of the leading research entities looking into this matter is deCODE, which recently published a blog post about this particular trend. The organization’s CEO Kari Stefansson noted how cases like this are exactly why studying genetics is so important.

“These findings are an example of how we can use genomics to shed light on the evolutionary causes and consequences of observed social trends in modern human society,” Stefansson. “As a species, we are defined by the power of our brains. Education is the training and refining of our mental capacities. Thus, it is fascinating to find that genetic factors linked to more time spent in education are becoming rarer in the gene pool.”

It’s interesting to witness the pursuit of higher education become classified under “negative selection,” especially considering that intellectual superiority is humanity’s greatest advantage over other species. As education falters, that tool becomes duller.