Scientists have revealed who a child actually inherits intelligence from

Science confirms: child's intelligence is the mother's merit, while sex is determined by the father

Scientists have long established that the sex of a future child depends exclusively on the father, since only male sperm contain the Y-chromosome. Women do not have such a chromosome, which excludes their influence on the baby's sex. However, when it comes to mental abilities, it is the maternal genes that play a decisive role.

According to scientific data, 40 to 60 percent of intelligence is transmitted genetically, with the mother's contribution to this process being significantly more substantial. The remaining part of mental potential is formed under the influence of environment and upbringing.

The X-chromosome, which determines the female sex, carries the key intellectual gene. Interestingly, the father's X-chromosome also contains this gene, but during development it is deactivated, giving way to the maternal one. This discovery was made possible through experiments on mice.

Research has shown a surprising pattern: if a mouse receives a double dose of maternal intellectual genes, it is born with a small body but a large brain. In contrast, the predominance of paternal genes leads to the formation of a large body with a smaller brain size.

Paternal genes, as it turned out, influence sexual behavior, aggressiveness, and food preferences. While the development of cognitive functions — thinking, analytical abilities, and the ability to forecast — are predominantly controlled by genes inherited from the mother.

A large-scale study involving 12,686 people aged 14 to 22 from different socio-economic backgrounds and with varying levels of education revealed a striking pattern: the difference in intelligence scores between participants and their mothers did not exceed 15 points on the IQ scale, which convincingly confirms the key role of maternal genes in the formation of intelligence.