Researchers have found that brain surgeons and engineers are not as bright as the general population.
Researchers looked at data from an international cohort of 329 aerospace engineers and 72 neurosurgeons who completed 12 tasks online using the Great British Intelligence Test (GBIT) from the Cognitron platform, as well as answering questions about their age, sex and levels of experience in their speciality.
The tasks looked at various aspects of cognitive abilities. The researchers compared the results from the British public to those from the previous group.
According to the findings published in the festive edition of the BMJ, only neurosurgeons showed a significant difference with quicker problem-solving speed but slower memory recall compared with the general population.
The fast-paced nature of neurosurgery might be the reason for the difference in problem-solving speed exhibited by neurosurgeons.
The researchers said the study was carried out to lay to rest the question of whether one of the professions had the intellectual upper hand, a tension made famous by the Mitchell and Webb sketch in which a swaggering neurosurgeon is slapped down.
The team found no differences between the cognitive abilities of the two groups, although the results suggest the former had higher scores for attention and mental manipulation.
It shows that everyone has a range of skills, but it is difficult to be better at everything, said Aswin Chari, a neurosurgical trainees at Great Ormond Street.
The study shows that the two professions are better at certain things that make them good at what they do.
The researchers said that it may be best to ditch rocket science and brain surgery for phases like "it's a walk in the park".
Future work should aim to determine the most deserving group, as other professions might deserve to be on that pedestal.
