Aporia

Aporia

Aporia Magazine

Correcting the BBC's misinformation about IQ

Nobody is claiming Africans have IQs in the 20s and 30s.

Apr 11, 2025
∙ Paid

Written by Noah Carl.

More or Less is a usually-excellent BBC radio program dealing with numbers in the news. The creators basically fact-check popular statistical claims, often by consulting relevant experts. They’ve tackled questions like “Is a third of Pakistan really under water?” and “Will it take 685 years to clear the NHS waiting list?”

Recently, they did an episode on “IQ maps”, and it went pretty much as you’d expect based on the media’s typical handling of such topics. In other words, it was atrocious.

User's avatar

Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Aporia.

Or purchase a paid subscription.
© 2026 Aporia Magazine · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture