MESSAGE IN A BOTTLE

If dumb blonde jokes were really a barometer of intelligence, how do you explain astronaut Karen Hyberg, "Harry Potter" author J.K. Rowling and comedian Amy Poehler? Hair dye is not the answer. The dumb blonde joke is an unfair stereotype that has been debunked by science: Blondes have IQs that are equal to and sometimes higher than those who have dark or red hair, according to researchers from The Ohio State University in Columbus. The study: Led by Jay Zagorsky, the team examined data from nearly 10,900 white American baby boomers who took IQ tests in 1980. The results: Average IQ scores based on women's hair color:

• Natural blonde hair: 103.2
• Brown hair: 102.7
• Red hair: 101.2
• Black hair: 100.5

Interesting fact: While the OSU researchers found no genetic links between hair color and intelligence, they did find that blondes, when compared to those of other hair colors, were more likely to grow up in homes with more reading material. The takeaway: Dumb blonde jokes may seem harmless, but that attitude is cruel and could have serious psychological consequences.