Evidence is omnipresent for the real probability that humanity has not set the intelligence bar particularly high and that other civilizations have likely cleared it. It is as close as your newspaper, your nearest screen, and your endlessly refreshing newsfeed. The true marker of intelligence is the promotion of one’s own well-being, but too often our behavior does the opposite. I have found that paying close attention to the world’s most pressing news stories provides ample evidence that we cannot be the smartest species out there.
