Per Aspera Ad Astra

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

Cooling off.. 😅

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

Scientists have identified a reversal of the long-standing Flynn effect—the roughly 200-year trend of rising average intelligence (measured via IQ and cognitive tests) across generations.

For the first time in modern recorded history, Generation Z (born roughly 1997–2012) shows lower performance than previous generations in key cognitive domains, including attention, memory, literacy, numeracy, executive function, problem-solving, and general IQ—despite spending more years in formal education than ever before.

Neuroscientist and educator Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath, PhD, MEd, testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on January 15, 2026, highlighting this shift. In his written testimony, he stated that cognitive development in children across much of the developed world has stalled or reversed over the past two decades, with declines evident in international assessments (e.g., PISA, TIMSS) and other large-scale data starting around the mid-2000s and accelerating post-2010.

Horvath attributes the primary driver not to reduced schooling, but to the widespread integration of digital screens and educational technology (EdTech) in classrooms. He argues that human brains evolved for deep, focused learning through face-to-face interaction and sustained attention, not fragmented skimming or constant task-switching encouraged by devices.

Key points from his testimony include:

- Teens now spend over half their waking hours on screens, with significant portions in school involving computers or tablets—often leading to off-task behavior and shallower processing.

- Evidence from meta-analyses and national/international studies shows a consistent pattern: higher classroom screen exposure correlates with weaker outcomes in reading, math, science, and higher-order reasoning.

- Digital tools may aid narrow, repetitive skill practice in controlled settings, but in core academic contexts, they tend to reduce depth of understanding, retention, and critical thinking.

Horvath describes this as a "structural mismatch" between human cognition and how digital platforms are designed (to capture and fragment attention), warning that unchecked EdTech adoption risks long-term harm to workforce skills, innovation, and societal reasoning.

[Horvath, J. C. (2026). Written testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. U.S. Senate]

[Massimo @Rainmaker1973]

A crow in the UK casually asking passers by if they’re alright

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

Those eyes.. 😊

[Earth @earthcurated]

194 YEARS OLD. 🤯 Jonathan the tortoise was born around 1832. He has literally lived through the invention of the lightbulb, both World Wars, and the entire internet era. An absolute legend. 🐢👑

[HOW THINGS WORK @HowThingsWork_]

This isn’t just a ceramic bowl! - it’s a perfect example of how traditional craftsmanship can make everyday tasks smarter!

[Puppies & Positivity @Puppieslover]

How it started vs how it’s going

[Earth @earthcurated]

A group of fireflies is called a sparkle ✨

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

Baby elephant discovering its trunk.. 😅

[Nature Unedited @NatureUnedited]

A raccoon figured out that if he blocks the drive-thru, they’ll give him a donut to make him leave

[𝕐o̴g̴ @Yoda4ever]

It was a ruff day..🐶😅

[Reuters @Reuters]

🦛 The Berlin Zoo announced the name of its newborn pygmy hippopotamus — a rare mammal native to West Africa: Broetchen, which is German for ‘bread roll’

[nature @Nature]

In the Indian Ocean, a deep-sea area roughly 1,200 kilometres long and 7 kilometres deep was found to harbour an ecological landmark site of whale remains.

https://t.co/0SqgLKXWFE

[Nature Unedited @NatureUnedited]

Sometimes the one who looks like the villain may not be the real villain

[Interesting Universe @InterestingUni]

Puy du Fou is a unique theme park in Vendée, France, known for its spectacular historical shows instead of rides.
Featuring immersive performances, historical villages, and the famous Cinéscénie night show, it is considered one of the world's best theme parks.

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

Meet Sjoerd the drake, he always greets his humans when they’re coming home.. 🥺

🎥 IG: kirstenmuntendam

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

Leafy seadragon.. 😊

[Buitengebieden @buitengebieden]

Meet the Pallas cat.. 😊

[Nature Unedited @NatureUnedited]

This is a gray Ezo squirrel, a subspecies of the Eurasian red squirrel found on the Japanese island of Hokkaido

[𝕐o̴g̴ @Yoda4ever]

Mistakes were made..🐕🐾😅