While this was done in England, we would probably test the same which is ominous news for our ability to compete with the rest of the world. Combine this with the decline in the numbers of students going into science and engineering, the decline in teaching critical thinking, the general anti-intellectual path we’re on, the rise in voodoo science like creationism and powerful anti-science adherents and the future ain’t bright, unless you live in Australia. Now where’d I put my video game controller and beer…

Class of 76 ‘cleverer’ than kids of today

The intellect of even the brainiest 14-year-olds has deteriorated dramatically over the decades despite an increase in the number of pupils achieving top grades in exams.

Their cognitive abilities are level with those of 12-year-olds in 1976, the study found.

Researchers at King’s College London compared the mental agility of 800 bright 13 and 14-year-olds with similar tests carried out some three decades ago.

The tests – designed to assess grasp of abstract scientific concepts such as volume, density, quantity and weight – found far fewer youngsters hit top scores than in 1976.

In one test, average achievement remained roughly the same as in 1976.

But only just over one in ten pupils were able to demonstrate a “higher level of thinking” compared to one in four in 1976.