May 04, 2017
Volume 47 - No. 18 By Friedrich Gomez
Ever wonder just how amazing our world is? Not the physical world, as such, but its inhabitants? The people that comprise and make our world what it is today is a most fascinating study and, certainly, helps define not just who we are as a collective species but, fundamentally, what we are. Carl Sagan said we are made out of “the same stuff as stars.” When Sagan first said those words back in 1980, they both shocked and ignited the imagination of the world: “The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made of the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.” Celebrated American scientist, Neil deGrasse Tyson (who, incidentally, has read past issues of The Paper), added to Sagan’s remark: “We are, each of us, a little universe.”
However we perceive ourselves, there is no doubt that we are both a strange and fascinating species of life-form. It is as children – not adults – that we are at our most creative level, along with possessing unbounded imagination. Children create endless games, songs, poems and imaginary worlds in which to play. They are the undisputed masters of makebelieve. They can transform the simplest of things into inventive fun. As one social scientist phrased it, “Children don’t just walk to school – they often skip, dance, or sing their way there.”
The mind of a child is forever inquisitive, forever asking questions about our surrounding world. When they crawl upon Grandpa’s lap they may well ask: “Grandpa, how does it rain?” or “Where do rainbows get their colors?” “Why do butterflies fly crooked?” or even, “Grandpa, how does my goldfish breathe under water?” Sitting on our laps, we look lovingly into these innocent and inquisitive little faces and silently ask ourselves a far more painful and soul-searching question: “Why do we adults become so jaded to the miracles which surround us? Why did we lose one of childhood’s most precious and valuable possession: our sense of wonder?”
Let’s rediscover that childhood fascination by looking at the world around us, and have a closer, intimate look at our fellow Earthlings, our international neighbors, which populate this Blue Marble of ours. WHICH COUNTRY OR REGION HAS PEOPLE WITH THE HIGHEST I. Q.?
Children are not afraid to ask the tough questions, so let’s ask this one. It can be a touchy subject and, certainly, a most controversial one, but, as one noted philosopher wrote, “Once fear shackles the human mind from asking certain questions, it is our first step away from intellectual freedom and one huge step towards intellectual enslavement.”
Let us dare to be inquisitive. Which
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country or region below do you think has people with the highest (average) I.Q.? A. United States B. Japan C. England D. Singapore
First off, ranking different countries by average I. Q. is, arguably, not an exact science and therefore such I. Q. findings provide only a ‘rough indication’ and not precise truth. These I. Q. sources, themselves, often give the following cautionary disclaimer: “These I. Q. scores are only ‘indicative’ and should not be considered infallible findings. It is not advised that these statistics be interpreted as either absolutely scientific or academic.”
However, according to repeated studies (flawed as they may be), “D” above, Singapore, appears to be a consistently high-scorer in international I. Q. tests. Despite any controversy, it is compelling that the recurring top countries, or regions, with highest average I. Q. scores are of Asian influence. The top four countries cited here, with highest I. Q. scores are, in transmission order: Singapore (sometimes tied in first-place with Hong Kong) with 108
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average I. Q., followed by South Korea (106), then Japan (105).
Once again, measuring I. Q. levels from different countries, or regions, is not absolute science and therefore may have various flaws. Nevertheless, this ongoing study of comparative I. Q. levels between different countries remains a most vigorous forum of research and debate which leaves the door wide open to welcome any discussion and perceived discrepancies.
Despite human error and other offsetting variables, it still remains a powerful and compelling fact that Asian countries, or regions, are consistently high in regards to education, learning, and overall academic achievements, all of which point to high I. Q. levels. What have we learned from such repeated studies? And what could be the cause behind (perceived) high-and-low I. Q. levels?
In a 2016 survey of 71 experts in intelligence, “Genes were rated as the most important cause of perceived high I. Q. (17%), followed by educational quality (11.44%), health (10.99%), and education ‘quantity’ (10.20%).”
Our Amazing World Continued on Page 2
vWHICH NATION/REGION OF PEOPLE HAS THE LONGEST LIFE EXPECTANCY?
This may shock you so, perhaps, you should be sitting down. A. Japan B. Switzerland C. Singapore D. Australia First off, the United States ranked No. 31 for those of you who are (dying) to know! The big surprise is that the countries/regions with citizens that have the longest life expectancy are listed in exact transmission order above! So, if you selected “A” above, Japan, you are correct.
According to the World Health Organization (2015 data published in May 2016), the people in Japan have a life expectancy of 83.7 years. Next, Switzerland (average 83.4 years), Singapore (83.1 years), and Australia (82.8 years). For those of you who crave details, the United States’ average life expectancy is 79.3 years. This is worthy science because these