What happens when humanity reaches the edge of its cognitive evolution—and the universe pushes back?
In this gripping blend of science fiction, philosophy, and thriller, IQ Zero confronts the terrifying implications of the Great Filter—a cosmic mechanism that has tested countless civilizations across the stars. When human babies begin to be born without cognition or the ability to think and relate to their environment, the world spirals into chaos. Dubbed "IQ Zero," this phenomenon isn't just a medical anomaly; it's a harbinger of something much larger, something woven into the very fabric of existence since the Big Bang.
Sophia Reyes, an investigative journalist, stumbles upon cryptic warnings and suppressed truths that lead her to a team of brilliant scientists: Dr. Adrian Kline, a biologist desperate to find patterns in the inexplicable; Dr. Evelyn Sharpe, a physicist unraveling the mysteries of Gaia and the Great Filter; and Dr. Henry Clayton, the creator of a revolutionary photonic-neuromorphic computer capable of decoding the universe's secrets. Together, they uncover evidence that IQ Zero is not merely a threat—it’s a test of humanity’s ability to harmonize with the universe or face extinction.
As societal structures crumble and global anomalies spread, the team must grapple with profound questions about intelligence, morality, and survival. What does it mean to be worthy of existence? How does a species prove itself to the cosmos? And is it possible to forge a path between defiance of the Great Filter and alignment with its demands?
But humanity’s answers may lie in the hands of the enigmatic Dr. Alan Taylor, whose cognitive "boost" from an unauthorized experiment has left him both a visionary and a fractured, unpredictable force. As the world teeters on the brink, Taylor’s knowledge could unlock the secrets of the Great Filter—or doom humanity to annihilation.