Why IQs are rising – and how to get better grades

Liz Else interviews James Flynn, professor of political science at the University of Chicago, for New Scientist:

Large Rubik's cube built on the
North Campus of the University of Michigan

Worldwide, IQs have risen by up to three points per decade over the past century. Known as the Flynn effect, the rise means IQ tests should be recalibrated regularly. At 78, James Flynn, the man it’s named after, explains how he’s still hard at work on its repercussions.

Are we getting smarter? 

Our ancestors were just as good as we are at practical intelligence, at dealing with everyday life. But our brains and minds have changed over the last century. That is when all these IQ gains have taken place, and we have developed the mental skills needed to deal with the demands of the modern world.

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