The News
Which sibling is the smartest?
By Denise Gellene Los Angeles Times
Article Last Updated: 06/22/2007 12:51:29 AM MDT
Wading into an age-old debate, researchers have found that firstborn children are smarter than their siblings - and the reason is not genetics but the way their parents treat them, according to a study published today.
The study of 240,000 Norwegian men in the journal Science found that the IQs of firstborns were two to three points higher than their younger siblings.
While that may not sound like much, experts said even a few IQ points can make a big difference over the course of a lifetime - and can set firstborns on a trajectory for success.
University of California at Berkeley researcher Frank J. Sulloway, who wrote a commentary accompanying the study, said two to three IQ points could translate to 20 to 30 points more on an SAT college entrance exam.

The Research
Read the two research articles behind this story in the journal Science.
"Explaining the Relation Between Birth Order and Intelligence."
"Birth order and intelligence."