Mass GWAS boosts IQ prediction power

A GWAS meta‑analysis of 269,867 people identifies new genetic loci and biological pathways linked to intelligence, improving the statistical power of polygenic scores that predict cognitive performance. The study ties variants to brain‑expressed genes and functional annotations, not just statistical hits, which moves predictions closer to mechanistic interpretation. That combination makes genetic prediction more robust but also raises ethical and policy questions about early‑life screening and discrimination. — Improved genetic prediction of cognitive traits heightens the need for public debate on privacy, fairness, and acceptable uses of polygenic information in education, employment, and health.