IQ only measures how good you are at taking IQ tests. They recalibrate score every year to maintain the same distribution of scores within a year. (they change what each question is worth so every year 50% of tests get above 100, 40% of tests are between 85 and 100, 40% of tests are between 100 and 115, etc.)

The impact is that they have to make the tests harder every year. If you applied modern standards to 1920, the average score would be ~70.

What makes more sense to you, that 8/10 people today would be considered near-geniuses 100 years ago, or we got much better at taking IQ tests?

If it’s as simple as high-speed rail, the US can and will do it by themselves.

It’s been decades, if the US was capable of building a high speed rail network, they would have done it. We tried and failed. There’s 3 HSR lines, one of which doesn’t even average 60 miles an hour, but theoretically could do 180 if it wasn’t for the highways and NIMBYs.

Edit: There is 1 HSR line, the one in California is still being planned, and the brightline isn’t HSR.

China has no chance of winning against the US by this way

Every year they close the gap by spending hundreds of billions on schools and infrastructure, while we spend hundreds of billions on prisons and bombs.

China started their high-speed rail network by buying German trains, today their trains are faster than Germany’s and their rail network is more extensive and cheaper.

They’re investing in education, every step of the supply chain, and their chip companies, and bringing in foreign experts and equipment to fill in any gaps. That’s how you get an advanced semiconductor industry.