Good news for the five-heads and the melon tops. Turns out, big heads are better.
Extensive research done by proper scientists at the charity UK Biobank has revealed a direct correlation between brain volume, head circumference and levels of intelligence, as measured by verbal-numerical reasoning testing.
In other words, the bigger the head the brighter the baby. The evidence is reportedly so accurate, it can even predict whether a child is likely to go to university.
The research has been done on more than half a million samples from 100,000 British participants aged between 37 and 73 years. Samples include blood, urine, saliva and details of their lifestyle choices and general health.
While it all sounds like something out of 1984, UK Biobank claims, ‘Over many years this will build into a powerful resource to help scientists discover why some people develop particular diseases and others do not.’
Its aim is to document the long term links between genes, physical and mental health and well-being. Specifically, UK Biobank hopes to discover how DNA impacts on cognitive brain function.
FYI, the average newborn head size is 36cm for boys, and 35cm for girls.
Time to dig the tape measure out.
A former emo kid who talks too much about 8Chan meme culture, the Kardashian Klan, and how her smartphone is probably killing her. Francesca is a Cardiff University Journalism Masters grad who has done words for BBC, ELLE, The Debrief, DAZED, an art magazine you’ve never heard of and a feminist zine which never went to print.