Stop Picking on Nerds!

Democracy often results in mediocrity, say researchers

(NEWSER) - When it comes to choosing a leader, we may simply be victims of our own ignorance. Researchers say that voters can't be trusted to choose experts on topics they themselves know little about—meaning, for instance, that we can't pick the candidate with the best tax policy without having a thorough grounding in the field first, says website Life's Little Mysteries . The result: We end up choosing mediocre leadership. More»

'Sense of order' appeals to those with lower intelligence, researchers say

(NEWSER) - Children with low IQs are more likely to embrace conservative ideologies and to be prejudiced against gays and people of other races as they get older, according to research certain to spark a few heated conversations. The researchers say people with lower intelligence tend to be attracted to the structure and authoritarianism of right-wing ideologies, LiveScience reports. Social conservatives were defined as people who agreed with statements like "Give law breakers stiffer sentences" and "Schools should teach children to obey authority." More»

Jon Stewart leads the pack of influential whizzes

(NEWSER) - The biggest intellectual, cultural, and technological achievements of the year were powered by these brains—some we know well, some we don’t. The Daily Beast got together with 20-plus recent winners of MacArthur “Genius” grant to determine the year’s smartest:

1. Jon Stewart. Going beyond the biting Daily Show, Stewart "turned his logic-rooted, hypocrisy-bashing comedy into action" by organizing the Rally to Restore Sanity and pushing hard—and successfully—for the passage of the 9/11 first responders health bill.

Best spots to raise kids boast good schools, low crime

(NEWSER) - BusinessWeek has combed the US for the best places to raise a family and has come up with a Chicago suburb to top the rankings again. The rest of the list, based on factors that include education, crime rate, cultural vitality, and air quality, is broken down by state. A sampling:

• Tinley Park, Ill.: Takes the top spot for its "top-rated schools, low crime, beautiful parks, relatively affordable houses, and easy access to jobs."
• Arcadia, Calif.: The Los Angeles suburb is a back-to-back winner for its "low crime and excellent schools" as well as "a number of peacocks that hang out in the neighborhood near the Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanical Garden."

Contrary to 'opt-out revolution' notion, most stay-at-home moms start that way

(NEWSER) - The so-called opt-out revolution by stay-at-home moms “is not and never has been and will not be a revolution,” says one sociologist—and statistics from the most recent census support that point. The term was coined to describe well-educated women leaving high-powered careers to raise children, but census figures show most stay-at-home moms are younger, less educated, and have lower family incomes. More»