It has been scientifically proven humans are getting dumber.

Taking a selfie near a wild animal is never a good idea unless the wild animal is really just a poster. (AP file photo)

Credit: George Mathis

icon to expand image

Credit: George Mathis

Why? No one knows, but the invention of the "selfie stick" seems to have substantially lowered the collective IQ of industrialized societies.

A BBC article I read today says more humans die from self-inflicted stupidity than shark attacks.

Sharks are going to have to ramp up their game if they want to stay in the headlines -- the large fish have killed eight swimmers this year while 15 technologically advanced mammals have perished while tempting fate for an interesting Facebook post.

Russia, a nation smart enough to attempt putting a man on the moon by 2030 , has had quite a few photography-induced fatalities. Two men died in the Ural Mountains while posing for a photo while they pulled the pin from a live hand grenade.

In Moscow, a university graduate student died while dangling from a bridge. A teenager died when he fell off a roof taking an Instagram pic.

Americans are not immune to tragedy.

In Houston, a teenager died after shooting himself in the head while trying to take a selfie.

Remember, posing with guns is always a bad idea. If nothing else, it tells criminals you have guns they can steal.

A 43-year old Mississippi woman was gored to death in Yellowstone National Park while photographing herself near bison.

A man in Spain was electrocuted (in 2014) after climbing atop a train and touching a 3,500-volt electrical line.

Not all accidents are fatal, thankfully. A California man survived trying the share the small screen with a rattlesnake.

Unfortunately for humanity, the millennial totem known as the selfie stick is not going away.

Fortunately, the Telegraph has provided a handy list of tips for those who think a cool photo is worth risking their life.

Nowhere in the list of tips does it state the obvious -- never take a selfie with a shark.

About the Author

Keep Reading

FILE - A student uses their cell phone after unlocking the pouch that secures it from use during the school day at Bayside Academy, Friday, Aug. 16, 2024, in San Mateo, Calif. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via AP, File)

Credit: AP

Featured

People join a rally in support for U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention employees on Tuesday afternoon, April 1, 2025, at the Atlanta headquarters after federal cuts triggered significant layoffs. (Photo: Jenni Girtman for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Jenni Girtman