Children tend to get their intelligence from their mums, research suggests.
It's common for parents to joke about where kids pick up certain traits, but it turns out that brain power is likely inherited from the mother, the Mirror reports. Studies have revealed that the X chromosome is the one that carries intelligence.
And because females have two of these (XX) and men only have one (XY), it means mothers are twice as likely to pass on their intelligence. A study from the Medical Research Council Social and Public Health Sciences Unit in Glasgow, showed that youngster's IQs tend to be similar to their mothers. Researchers interviewed kids every year from the age of 14-22.
Read more: Jet2 flight to Newcastle diverted to Portugal due to 'disruptive passenger'
The research accounted for various factors including education and socio-economic status and it concluded that the best predictor of intelligence was their mothers. They also discovered that that IQs of the young people were only around 15 points different.
But some experts feel the X chromosome does not tell the full story. Other studies have said nurture and environment also play a key role in developing a child's intelligence.
According to Psychology Spot it is believed that 40-60 percent of intelligence is hereditary. The rest is thought to come from our environment, giving both parents an important role in emotional and intellectual development by building confidence, playing and teaching youngsters new skills.
Read next
