Carl Zimmer in his article In Search For explores an interesting topic in acquisition of intelligence. In this article Zimmer dwells on a peculiar and particular new dimension in the long history of intelligences studies. Zimmer make a concerted effort to unearth findings of scientists who are studying the relationship between genes and intelligence.
Other than discovering that scientists have developed technologies that can measure intelligence variation between different individuals, scientists have now made a breakthrough in technologies that can identify thousands of different types of genes in human beings. A few scientists have delved into the uncharted territory that tries to connect intelligences and the occurrences of certain genes.
Actually reports are telling of possible relationships between genes and intelligences. However scientists are still baffled by the new realities that have emerged. They have conclusively documented that intelligence is an observable trait in human being and can even be felt by others. However, any criteria developed to measure intelligence despite yielding valid resets are only speculatory. Furthermore all positive leads the scientists have had on linking the development of intelligence with certain genes has turn out just as false hopes. Only one lead has held true, but again with a very small percentage margin of accuracy.
The more the scientists delve deeper into the subject the more blurred the findings becomes. Another interesting finding is that scientists have also connected environment with intelligence. Studies done on a set of identical twins indicates that twin’s raised in different environments did not vary from twin raised in the same environment. Because studies on the link between intelligence, genes and environment, have not yielded much result, scientists have expended their studies and have focused on the grey matter.
From studies and careful analysis of the brain, scientists have made certain interesting discoveries. Studies reveal that the grey matter reveals similar genetic signatures from those of average or low intelligence beings. Furthermore, the grey mater of highly intelligent people seemed to be more organized than that of people with average intelligence. They are thus concluding that intelligence development is connected to a persons cognitive function such memory, lingo skills and attention. In spite of this, any development still leads to the genes.
The strengths of the article lie in the ability to connect scientific research to the main concept. Zimmer does not only explain the theoretical framework of the link between genes and intelligence by also provides sufficient evidence from many and credible scientific researches. Furthermore, the scientists the research is an ongoing process spanning a long period of time as it studies children at their developmental stages from early childhood to teenage.
Despite there only being a glimmer of hope regarding genes and intelligence it still looks very optimistic for a breakthrough soon. The article however, highlights a number of weaknesses in the main concepts. The children involved in the studies are treated like laboratory specimen and to some extent this is unethical.
Furthermore, there seem to be much cynic as the author only focuses on the barriers to concept genes and intelligence. Despite the pessimism surrounding these topic scientists has a number of options that direct future research in this topic. It includes breaking done the similar intelligence pattern occurring in intelligent people. Scientist can also try to categorize intelligence an see whether nay type of intelligence occurs with certain types of genes.