It’s not just a feeling—evidence suggests we may, in fact, be getting dumber. The concept is not satire, nor is it a punchline. It’s a measurable, observable trend known as the Negative Flynn Effect: a documented decline in IQ scores in developed countries over the past few decades. And while intelligence is a complex and multifaceted trait, the implications of this trend reach far beyond simple test scores.

In the 1980s, New Zealand intelligence researcher James R. Flynn identified a consistent rise in IQ scores across the world throughout the 20th century. This became known as the Flynn Effect and was initially interpreted as evidence of humanity getting smarter—perhaps thanks to better nutrition, education, and healthcare.

But by the 1990s, the trend reversed.

The first major alarm came from Norway. Because of its compulsory military service, the country had amassed a massive database of cognitive testing—covering more than 730,000 young men from 1962 to today. What researchers found was stunning: IQ scores peaked among those born around 1975 and have been declining........

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