Here's a thing to bear in mind about journalism...
Here's a headline from today's google news stream:
Chimpanzees? Intelligence Hugely Dependent On Genes They Inherit From Parents
http://www.ibtimes.com/chimpanzees-inte ... ts-1625288
Earlier today that headline said "Mostly Dependent"
But here is the same story from one of the sources that article cites:
Like in Humans, Genes Drive Half of Chimp Intelligence, Study Finds
And the story goes even farther from the silly IBTimes piece:
Quote:
Although Hopkins and colleagues found a strong genetic component to chimp intelligence, there were equally strong effects from environmental influences, which are malleable over time.
These results are similar to those in human studies, noted Ajit Varki, distinguished professor of medicine at the University of California, San Diego, who was not part of the new study.
What's more, the power of the environment may be underestimated by studies like these, Varki said. "In the impoverished and stereotyped setting of long-term captivity," he said, "the critical influence of environmental variability could be markedly blunted."
The story looks completely different once you pay attention to the sources and the complexity of the issues.
Most of the stories about aspergers/autism and violence come from this same school of rubbish journalism. Hack writers are looking for an "angle" and an emotional hook to sell a story and really don't a give a damn about truth.