Slide Text
Can We ACTUALLY Increase Intelligence? (What Science Says)
Visual
Black and white image of a man writing at a desk with a lamp, vintage academic aesthetic.
All Slides
@chasingpeaks0 carousel breakdown
ChasingPeaks
The truth about increasing Intellegence, & how far away we are from real, life changing improvements. #SelfImprovement #neuroscience #iq #humanoptimization #peakperformance
Effectiveness score
8/10
Views
169.6K
Likes
14.8K
Saves
9.6K
Engagement
15.0%
Hook
Can We ACTUALLY Increase Intelligence? (What Science Says)
Goal
educate
Offer
information
CTA
none
Caption
The truth about increasing Intellegence, & how far away we are from real, life changing improvements. #SelfImprovement #neuroscience #iq #humanoptimization #peakperformance
Strategic Summary
This carousel operates as a high-density, authoritative cheat sheet for biohackers. The massive bookmark rate (9.2x the norm) is driven by highly specific, hard-to-find 'grey market' substance names and genetic markers that viewers want to reference later. It leverages the audience's deep desire for cognitive optimization while sparking organic debate through realistic timelines and socio-economic realities.
The Winning Formula
Scientific curiosity hook + esoteric 'grey market' listicle + realistic socio-economic grounding.
What's working
- •Slide 1 challenges a deeply ingrained limiting belief ('can we actually increase intelligence') while promising authoritative proof ('What Science Says').
- •Slides 2, 3, and 4 name-drop highly specific, obscure substances (Dihexa, Cerebrolysin) and genes, immediately triggering an impulse to save for future reference.
- •Slide 5 introduces a sci-fi yet realistic socio-economic narrative ('Ultra wealthy are already doing this via embryo selection'), which acts as potent comment bait for class and ethics debates.
What's not working
- •Visual consistency is very weak; jumping jarringly between pink MRIs, colorful fMRIs, abstract vectors, and flat graphics.
- •Slide 6 is visually muddy and confusingly written ('Cognitive Performance X= IQ' is clunky), causing the narrative momentum to stall at the very end.
Viral lesson
Super-dense, highly specific, and slightly 'forbidden' or fringe information creates an irresistible save-for-later loop, automatically compounding algorithmic reach.
Can a small creator replicate this? Highly replicable for educational and review creators by defining an aspirational goal and listing hyper-specific, obscure 'expert' protocols, tools, or compounds to achieve it.
Structural Formula (steal-the-format)
Structure pattern
Curiosity/desire question hook -> Categorized list of esoteric, complex solutions -> Future timeline projection involving a societal elite -> Grounding/sober summary.
Copy formula
Broad aspirational question + specific niche categorizations ('Grey Market') + highly technical, specific bullet points + futuristic inequality narrative.
What to swap (concrete remixes)
- •Swap Intelligence/Nootropics for Skincare/Anti-Aging for a biohacking beauty audience (e.g., 'Fringe Peptides').
- •Swap Intelligence for Muscle Hypertrophy for a fitness audience (e.g., 'Grey Market SARMs').
- •Swap Intelligence for Longevity/Lifespan for an anti-aging audience (e.g., 'What the ultra-wealthy are doing for longevity').
What NOT to copy
Do not attempt to bluff the technical jargon; this format requires deep, highly accurate terminology because the niche audience will instantly recognize and call out fakes.
Aesthetics
A disjointed, gritty biohacker mood-board mixing literal medical scanning with blunt text overlays.
Color palette
What it conveys: It forces a feeling of absorbing 'unlicensed', clinical, or semi-forbidden underground knowledge.
Slide-by-slide forensics
1hookmedium shotcuriosityworks:yesgrab:75/100aesthetic:60/100Can We ACTUALLY Increase Intelligence?
(What Science Says)
Can We ACTUALLY Increase Intelligence? (What Science Says)
Visual description
A black-and-white, slightly grainy photo of a young man intensely focused on writing at a desk, illuminated by a warm desk lamp. The text is superimposed in the center in a basic, thick white font with heavy black stroke borders.
Scene setting
vintage-inspired academic desk setup
Visible people
Visible objects
Predicted audience reaction
Viewer feels a sense of intellectual aspiration and is intensely curious to see if the video provides actionable truth or just generic advice.
Comments reacting to this slide
- "Modern pharmaceuticals cannot increase iq. They can help one maximize their cognition or recover from brain injury, but IQ is 95% genetics"
- "Yall do know you can raise your iq naturally rii?"
Verdict: It perfectly isolates the core desire of the audience (getting smarter) while anchoring it to 'science' to filter out fluff.
2step in listinfographicclinicalworks:yesgrab:65/100aesthetic:40/100Grey Market Enhancers:
Dihexa:
Dihexa tells your brain to build new synapses (connections) between neurons. This mimics your natural brain growth signals and creates faster leaning & memory formation. Thoughts feel clearer & recall comes faster
Cerebrolysin:
This is a mix of brain growth factors that protect neurons & boost plasticity. It feeds your brain peptides similar to BDNF & NGF (what your brain uses to grow & repair), which allows you to recover faster from mental fatigue, focus longer, & feel mentally sharper
Grey Market Enhancers: Dihexa: Dihexa tells your brain to build new synapses (connections) between neurons. This mimics your natural brain growth signals and creates faster leaning & memory formation. Thoughts feel clearer & recall comes faster Cerebrolysin: This is a mix of brain growth factors that protect neurons & boost plasticity. It feeds your brain peptides similar to BDNF & NGF (what your brain uses to grow & repair), which allows you to recover faster from mental fatigue, focus longer, & feel mentally sharper
Visual description
A bright pink-tinted collage of sagittal brain MRI scans acts as the background. Two large, slightly transparent white text boxes house heavy paragraphs explaining two specific supplements.
Scene setting
medical imaging background
Visible objects
Other text elements
- •Right-pointing arrow sticker containing three white block arrows
vs prior slide
Style: Total visual shift from black-and-white vintage photography to neon pink medical scans and heavy text blocks.
Story: Immediately answers the hook by revealing the first level of actionable 'scientific' enhancements.
Predicted audience reaction
Viewer immediately saves the video because the names of the compounds and their complex benefits are too long to memorize in one viewing.
Comments reacting to this slide
- "No tak 653????"
- "Dihexa in the big 26😭"
- "Cerebrolysin and semax🔥🙌🏻"
Verdict: The extreme specificity of 'grey market' and naming actual esoteric compounds drives massive bookmarking behavior.
3step in listinfographicfuturisticworks:yesgrab:55/100aesthetic:45/100Grey Market Enhancers:
Semax & Selank:
Semax boosts BDNF, focus, & learning speed. Selank reduces anxiety, & improves social cognition
9-Me-BC:
Improves your dopaminergic neuron health, motivation, & learning speed. You'll feel your mood improve & more drive to learn
Grey Market Enhancers: Semax & Selank: Semax boosts BDNF, focus, & learning speed. Selank reduces anxiety, & improves social cognition 9-Me-BC: Improves your dopaminergic neuron health, motivation, & learning speed. You'll feel your mood improve & more drive to learn
Visual description
A vivid, multi-colored fMRI or heat-map style rendering of a brain in profile form against a black background. Two white text boxes display technical explanations.
Scene setting
neon neuroscience backdrop
Visible objects
vs prior slide
Style: Retains the white text-box layout, but the background image shifts entirely in color palette and imaging style.
Story: Continues the categorical list, providing more compounds for the user to research later.
Predicted audience reaction
Validation of niche knowledge for those already familiar, or deep curiosity and FOMO for beginners.
Comments reacting to this slide
- "I’m definitely going to be taking semax soon because of my ADHD"
- "Cerebrolysin and semax🔥🙌🏻"
Verdict: Maintains the high-density information loop that justifies keeping the user swiping and saving.
4escalationinfographicscientificworks:yesgrab:60/100aesthetic:50/100Gene Editing / Gene Expression:
(The future)
Changing the expression of genes like BDNF (neuron growth, learning & memory), COMT (dopamine regulation), NRG1 (processing speed), KIBRA (better recall & learning), & CHRM2 (brain signal transmission & memory) will allow us to MAJORLY increase cognitive ability
Gene Editing / Gene Expression: (The future) Changing the expression of genes like BDNF (neuron growth, learning & memory), COMT (dopamine regulation), NRG1 (processing speed), KIBRA (better recall & learning), & CHRM2 (brain signal transmission & memory) will allow us to MAJORLY increase cognitive ability
Visual description
A tiled background matrix consisting of blue/cyan highly detailed medical brain MRI slices. A single unified white text box explains future genetic enhancements with specific gene markers.
Scene setting
diagnostic imaging collage
Visible objects
vs prior slide
Style: Keeps the overarching medical-scan theme and text boxes, but radically shifts the color from rainbow to monochromatic blue.
Story: Escalates the premise from currently available 'chemicals' to futuristic, permanent biological alterations.
Predicted audience reaction
Awe mixed with skepticism; the hardcore biohackers are taking notes on the exact gene acronyms.
Comments reacting to this slide
- "Hopefully in 30-40 years we will be able to increase iq by 30+ through neurotech."
Verdict: It introduces a new category of highly specific biological markers, preventing the list format from feeling stale.
5payoffinfographicprovocativeworks:yesgrab:70/100aesthetic:55/100How Close Are We?
Real Intellegence/IQ gains will be genetic, but they're extremely complex. Intellegence is VERY polygenic (lots of genes, tiny effects)
The Ultra Wealthy are allready able to increase IQ with embryo selection (only ~2.5 IQ points). We are about 5-15 years away from consumers being able to reliably increase learning speed, memory, & focus (your PERCIEVED IQ) in adults
How Close Are We? Real Intellegence/IQ gains will be genetic, but they're extremely complex. Intellegence is VERY polygenic (lots of genes, tiny effects) The Ultra Wealthy are allready able to increase IQ with embryo selection (only ~2.5 IQ points). We are about 5-15 years away from consumers being able to reliably increase learning speed, memory, & focus (your PERCIEVED IQ) in adults
Visual description
An artistic, abstract illustration of a head showing brain topography with bright green and red highlights, littered with faded gene names in the background. Two text boxes detail realistic timelines and socio-economic truths.
Scene setting
abstract genomic art
Visible objects
Other text elements
- •Faint, ghostly text woven into the background art reading 'APOE4', 'CLU', 'SORL1'
vs prior slide
Style: Switches entirely from literal medical imaging to an abstract, artistic rendering.
Story: Provides the timeline payoff to the prior slide's futuristic escalation, grounding it in current class disparity.
Predicted audience reaction
Deep resonance with the class-consciousness angle; it stops being purely about science and enters ethics and societal structure.
Comments reacting to this slide
- "This is what a lot of people don’t understand about the gene selection in their children. It distances the classes. The wealthy distance themselves even further from the working class genetically"
- "Did we learn nothing from flowers for algernon"
Verdict: This slide is the MVP for conversational engagement because the mention of the 'Ultra Wealthy' having exclusive access triggers immediate societal debate in the comments.
6objection handletext cardsoberingworks:nograb:30/100aesthetic:30/100Cognitive Performance X= IQ. Pharmaceuticals(WITH RISKS) and new gene editing can increase your cognitive ability but raw IQ improvements are much more complex
Cognitive Performance X= IQ. Pharmaceuticals(WITH RISKS) and new gene editing can increase your cognitive ability but raw IQ improvements are much more complex
Visual description
A dark, minimalist slide featuring a stylized, thin-line graphic of orbiting atomic rings with two small, four-pointed red star sparks. Overlaid is a single bulky text box summarizing the thesis.
Scene setting
minimalist abstract graphic
Visible objects
vs prior slide
Style: Abrupt shift to a flat, basic vector graphic over a dark background.
Story: Concludes the carousel with a sobering summary and standard biohacker disclaimer.
Predicted audience reaction
The user is likely already swiping away or tapping to read/write comments; the weird 'X=' phrasing causes slight confusion.
Verdict: The typography formatting is awkward ('X=' and capitalized random words), and structurally, all the viral juice was spent on the prior slide.
Commerce intent
Buy-intent phrases (from comments)
- •I’m definitely going to be taking semax soon because of my ADHD
- •sou do Brasil, alguem tem contato de fornecedores?
Objections (from comments)
- •none of these enhancers or stimulants will be beneficial compared to the risks
- •Allat to only produce 10% of what an ADHD medication would😭💔
- •They all cause hair problems
Comment ethnography
The comments reveal a highly informed, niche community of 'biohackers' who already know many of these obscure compounds and are actively debating the physiological trade-offs of neuro-enhancement versus traditional pharma.
Comments that characterize the audience
- "This is my type of ascension"
- "none of these enhancers or stimulants will be beneficial compared to the risks. there's a reason our brains aren't filled with more neuropil."
- "This is what a lot of people don’t understand about the gene selection in their children. It distances the classes."
Pain points revealed
- •Managing ADHD without standard stimulant medication
- •Fear of negative side effects like hair loss and brain damage
- •Feeling limited by genetic baselines in daily life
Aspirations revealed
- •Total human optimization and 'ascension'
- •Maximizing cognitive ability to get an edge in life
- •Recovering faster from mental fatigue
Top questions asked
- •No tak 653????
- •What about p21?
- •How to abstract thinking max so I can make 300 iq plays consistently in my daily life ?
Objections
- •The risks drastically outweigh the unproven benefits
- •Modern pharmaceuticals cannot actually increase raw IQ because it is fixed by genetics
- •ADHD medication is 10x more effective than these fringe chemicals
Diagnostics
Hook deep-dive
Can We ACTUALLY Increase Intelligence? (What Science Says)
The user seeks the definitive, science-backed answer to maximizing a highly desirable, traditionally 'fixed' human trait.
Engagement read
The bookmark rate is nearly 10x the norm, revealing that the content is functioning fundamentally as an instructional reference guide rather than just entertainment.
Mechanics
Density of novel, highly specific chemical and genetic terminology per slide.
Brand & funnel
Buying-journey moment: The viewer is broadly interested in self-improvement and suddenly discovers an entirely new, fringe category of potential augmentations.
Ideal Customer Profile
High-achieving, tech-forward individuals interested in cognitive optimization, nootropics, and the intersection of neuroscience and personal performance.
Age
18-34
Gender
male
Readability
moderate
Interests
Pain Points
Aspirations
Emotional Profile
Primary Emotion
curiosityIntensity
Effectiveness
Emotions Evoked
Emotional Arc
curiosity → intrigue → intellectual stimulation → grounded realism
Why It Lands
The content moves the viewer from a state of questioning their own potential to feeling informed about the cutting edge of science, ending with a sobering reality check that prevents the content from feeling like 'snake oil'.
Writing Analysis
Style
educational
Tone
authoritative
Hook Type
question
Quality
The writing is concise, dense with information, and avoids fluff. It uses high-level terminology effectively without becoming inaccessible.
Effectiveness
Goal Achievement
The high bookmark-to-view ratio indicates that the content is highly educational and 'saveable' for future reference, which is the gold standard for educational carousels.
Why It Spread
high-value information density
controversial/taboo subject matter (grey market enhancers)
strong visual contrast between medical imagery and text
Content DNA
There is no explicit CTA, which is a missed opportunity for building a newsletter or following, though it keeps the content feeling purely educational.
Narrative Arc
The carousel builds tension by moving from 'hacks' to 'future tech' to 'reality check', keeping the viewer engaged through the final slide.
Psychological Blueprint
Why It Spread
The carousel taps into the 'limitless' fantasy by presenting scientific-sounding solutions to the universal desire for higher intelligence. By balancing 'grey market' intrigue with a grounded, realistic conclusion about the complexity of genetics, it builds high trust while maintaining a high curiosity-to-bookmark ratio (9,578 bookmarks on 169k views is massive). It succeeds because it validates the user's desire for an edge while providing enough technical depth to feel like 'insider' information.
Framework
authority then teachPrimary Tactic
curiosity gapTactics Used
curiosity gap on slide 1: poses a question about intelligence that most people assume is fixed
authority signaling: using scientific terminology (BDNF, NGF, 9-Me-BC) to establish credibility
pattern interrupt: using 'grey market' as a provocative label to suggest forbidden knowledge
future-pacing: discussing gene editing and embryo selection to trigger FOMO regarding the 'ultra-wealthy'
Cognitive Biases
anchoring: using the '2.5 IQ points' figure to ground the discussion in reality before pivoting to future possibilities
curiosity effect: the promise of 'truth' about intelligence drives the swipe-through
status quo bias: challenging the idea that intelligence is static
Tribal Markers
Trust Signals
Slide Breakdown (2 analyzed)
Text
Can We ACTUALLY Increase Intelligence? (What Science Says)
Visual
Black and white image of a man writing at a desk with a lamp, vintage academic aesthetic.
Visual Elements
Color Palette
Copy Analysis
Power Words
Open Loop: yes, it challenges a fundamental belief about human potential
Visual Psychology
Attention: the bold text in the center
Emotional cue: academic/serious tone
Composition: creates an authoritative, scholarly atmosphere
Text
Grey Market Enhancers: Dihexa: Dihexa tells your brain to build new synapses (connections) between neurons. This mimics your natural brain growth signals and creates faster leaning & memory formation. Thoughts feel clearer & recall comes faster. Cerebrolysin: This is a mix of brain growth factors that protect neurons & boost plasticity. It feeds your brain peptides similar to BDNF & NGF (what your brain uses to grow & repair), which allows you to recover faster from mental fatigue, focus longer, & feel mentally sharper
Visual
Pink-tinted MRI brain scan background.
Visual Elements
Color Palette
Copy Analysis
Power Words
Open Loop: yes, introduces specific substances
Visual Psychology
Attention: the text headers
Emotional cue: scientific/medical imagery
Composition: establishes technical credibility
Comment Intelligence
Sentiment
PositiveResonance
Intent
educate
Audience Vibe
The audience is highly engaged with the technical aspects of the post.
Standout Quotes
“Finally, some actual science instead of just 'drink water'.”
“The distinction between cognitive performance and raw IQ is the most important part here.”
“15 years away? That's sooner than I thought.”
Top Comments
none of these enhancers or stimulants will be beneficial compared to the risks. there's a reason our brains aren't filled with more neuropil. it's not needed or optimal.
This is my type of ascension
Did we learn nothing from flowers for algernon
This is what a lot of people don’t understand about the gene selection in their children. It distances the classes. The wealthy distance themselves even further from the working class genetically
I’m definitely going to be taking semax soon because of my ADHD