Young people's IQ scores have started to deteriorate¹ after climbing steadily² since World War Two, a new study has found.

一项新研究发现，二战以后，年轻人的智力水平曾经历过一个稳步上升的阶段，此后，年轻人的智力水平开始不断下降。

The fall, which equates³ to about seven points per generation, is believed to have begun with those born in 1975, according to the first authoritative⁴ study of the phenomenon⁵.

对智力下降现象的首个权威研究称，智力下降是从1975年出生的那一代人开始的，平均每代人智商成绩下降7分。

The drop in scores marks the end of a trend – known as the Flynn effect – which has seen average IQs rise for the past 60 to 70 years by roughly three points a decade.

智商成绩的下降标志着弗林效应的终结，弗林效应指过去六七十年间，平均每十年智商成绩上升3分。

Scientists have described the results as 'impressive' but 'pretty worrying', according to the Times.

据《泰晤士报》报道，科学家称研究结果“令人震撼”，但“相当令人担忧”。

The decline is to do with a difference in the way languages and maths are taught in schools, scientists have suggested.

科学家指出，智力下降与学校教授语言和数学的方法发生了改变有关。

However, it could also be down to people spending more time on technological⁶ devices instead of reading books.

但是，智力下降也可能是因为人们花在科技设备上的时间比看书的时间更多。

Stuart Ritchie, a psychologist at the University of Edinburgh who did not take part in the research, told the newspaper: 'This is the most convincing evidence yet of a reversal of the Flynn Effect.

爱丁堡大学的心理学家斯图亚特·里奇告诉《泰晤士报》说：“这是弗林效应逆转的最令人信服的证据。”里奇没有参与这项研究。

'If you assume their model is correct, the results are impressive, and pretty worrying.'

“假如他们运用的模型是准确的，那么结果是令人震撼的，但又相当令人担忧。”

However IQ scores might have fallen since the turn of the millennium⁷, according to previous studies.

不过，先前的研究显示，智商成绩可能是从世纪之交开始下降的。

Two British studies suggested that the fall was between 2.5 and 4.3 points every ten years.

两项英国研究显示，智商成绩下降的幅度为每十年2.5到4.3分。

But due to limited research, their results were not widely accepted.

但由于研究范围有限，他们的研究结果没有被广泛接受。

In the latest study Ole Rogeburg and Bernt Bratsberg, of the Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research in Oslo, found that Norwegian men's IQs are lower than the scores of their fathers when they were the same age.

挪威奥斯陆的拉格纳尔·弗里希经济研究中心的奥勒·罗格伯格和伯恩特·布拉茨伯格开展了一项新研究并发现，挪威男性的智商水平比他们父辈同一年龄段的智商水平更低。

The pair analysed the scores from a standard IQ test of over 730,000 men – who reported for national service between 1970 and 2009.

他们分析了73万多人的标准智商测试成绩，这些人是在1970年到2009年间因为服兵役而接受测试的。

The findings come after scientists revealed in December 2017 that regularly eating fish improves children's intelligence as well as helping⁸ them to sleep better.

此前，科学家曾在2017年12月发布报告称，经常吃鱼可以提高孩子的智商，还能让他们睡得更香。

They found that nine to 11-year-olds who eat it at least once a week scored almost 5 points higher in IQ tests to those who 'seldom' do.

科学家发现，9到11岁的孩子里面，每周至少吃一次鱼的人比几乎不吃鱼的人智商成绩高出近5分。

In this study by US researchers, more than 500 children were asked about how often they had consumed fish in the past month. They then took part in an IQ test which also considered such as verbal and written communication skills.

美国研究人员开展的这项研究调查了500多名儿童，问他们在过去一个月多久吃一次鱼。然后这些儿童参加了智商测试，包括口头语言和书面语言沟通技巧。

After taking into consideration factors such as their parental⁹ education, occupation and marital¹⁰ status, it found children who eat fish least once a week score 4.8 points higher than those who never do. Even those whose meals sometimes include fish scored 3.3 points higher.

在考虑了父母教育程度、父母职业和婚姻状况等因素后，研究发现，至少每周吃一次鱼的孩子比从不吃鱼的孩子智商成绩高出4.8分。就连偶尔吃鱼的孩子都比不吃鱼的孩子高出3.3分。