The concept of an "IQ" for a bacterium is not directly comparable to human intelligence and IQ scores. However, some research explores the equivalent of "social intelligence" in bacteria.
While it's inaccurate to assign a traditional IQ score to bacteria, studies have attempted to quantify their problem-solving abilities and social behaviors, drawing parallels to intelligence. One study suggests that common pathogenic bacteria exhibit "social intelligence" at an "average level". In contrast, Vortex bacteria demonstrate a higher level of social intelligence, estimated to be around 60 points higher than the average human IQ of 100, if such a comparison were valid.
It's crucial to understand that this is an analogy, not a literal IQ score. The research explores how bacteria communicate, cooperate, and respond to their environment, interpreting these behaviors as indicators of a form of intelligence distinct from human cognition.
In summary, assigning a precise "IQ" to a bacterium is misleading. While some studies explore the "social intelligence" of bacteria through comparisons to human IQ scores, these are analogies used to understand their complex behaviors and should not be interpreted as a direct equivalent of human intelligence.
