Updated | Older fathers appear to have geekier sons, scientists have discovered. In a study of over 30,000 twins, researchers found boys who had older fathers scored higher on the “geek index”—and that the older the father, the higher the score. (The geek effect was only seen in boys.)

 By the age of 12, boys with older fathers were found to be more intelligent, more focused on their interests and were less concerned about whether or not they fitted in with their peers.

 While there has been much research showing the negative impact having children later in life can have—including increased risk of autism and schizophrenia—little has been done into the potential benefits.

 The latest study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry on Tuesday, indicates there are evolutionary advantages for men having children later in life.

 Scientists from the U.K and the U.S. collected cognitive and behavioral data on 15,000 sets of twins. At the age of 12, they completed tests measuring their “geeky” traits, including their non-verbal IQ, their focus on subjects of interest and their social aloofness. Parents were asked how they were perceived by their peers and if they had interests that dominated their time.

 From this, the researchers were able to produce a “geek index score” for each child in the study and to compare it to the age of the parents.

 Their findings showed a correlation between the age of the father and the geekiness of the sons, with a positive correlation between the two—the older the father, the geekier the son. They also noticed geek traits appeared more after the age of 45.

 Geeky boys did better in school exams, especially STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects, suggesting they would be more successful in their careers as adults.

 The authors say there are several limitations to the study. They were not able to determine whether the geek effect extended beyond secondary education and future success, adding it “remains possible that personality traits associated with GI [geek index] cease to be advantageous in later life.” For example, being flexible and socially aware rather than focusing on a single goal may provide more benefits in the work environment in the long-term.

 They also said they could not verify whether geek traits were associated with things like poor emotional and social functioning.

 However, they said the findings show there may be some benefits associated with having an older father.

 Study author Magdalena Janecka tells Newsweek: “Our primary hypothesis is that higher levels of those ‘geeky’ traits in offspring of older men are mainly due is due to characteristics of the fathers themselves. Men who decide to delay fatherhood often do so due to their extended career and educational pursuits, and likely themselves display higher levels of ‘geekiness.’”

 Another implication of the study is the link between autism and higher paternal age. The scientists were not able to measure the link directly, but say that some of the genes relating to geekiness and autism overlap, and that these genes may be more prevalent in older fathers.

 If a child is only born with some of these genes, it may help them succeed in school, but if they get a “higher dose,” they may be more at risk of autism.

 This link could also explain why the geek effect was only seen in boys. “We think the reasons for this may be similar to those why females seem protected from autism in general,” Janecka says. “For some reason, there could be a selective passage of those traits from fathers to son, but biologically, we still do not know how this could work.”

 She also says girls with older fathers may well be geeky too, just in different ways: “Another possibility is that we have not measured ‘geekiness’ in a way that allows to capture its manifestation in females—there remains a caveat that daughters of older men are just as geeky, but we could not capture it in the current study.”

 The study, Janecka adds, does not mean men should put off having children until they are older in the hope of having more intelligent sons. “Those findings should definitely not be taken to guide individual decisions about parenthood,” she says. “Effects we are describing are visible in large samples, but may operate very differently in cases of individual families.”

 Patrik Magnusson, from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, has studied the link between parental age and autism risk. Commenting on the study, he tells Newsweek: “That geekiness is associated with school success is not strange at all, to be a geek is defined as being someone with skills that are very well suited for school. That geekiness is associated with having an old father is a little stranger.”

 He says this link is likely down to several different factors, including geekiness being heritable. Another could be that men who get the chance to become fathers at a later age need to show “special positive skills.”

 “This special skill may be genetic and transmitted to the offspring,” he says. “Also, fathers that wait with kids may predominantly be fathers that have spent time studying or spent time developing ideas or business in favour of a the more common family life. Such personality is likely genetically inherited.”

 This story has been updated to include comments from Patrik Magnusson. ||||| Older men tend to have “geekier” sons who are more aloof, have higher IQs and a more intense focus on their interests than those born to younger fathers, researchers claim.

 The finding, which emerged from a study of nearly 8,000 British twins, suggests that having an older father may benefit children and boost their performance in technical subjects at secondary school.

 Researchers in the UK and the US analysed questionnaires from 7,781 British twins and scored them according to their non-verbal IQ at 12 years old, as well as parental reports on how focused and socially aloof they were. The scientists then combined these scores into an overall “geek index”.

 Magdalena Janecka at King’s College London said the project came about after she and her colleagues had brainstormed what traits and skills helped people to succeed in the modern age. “If you look at who does well in life right now, it’s geeks,” she said.

 Drawing on the twins’ records, the scientists found that children born to older fathers tended to score slightly higher on the geek index. For a father aged 25 or younger, the average score of the children was 39.6. That figure rose to 41 in children with fathers aged 35 to 44, and to 47 for those with fathers aged over 50.

 The effect was strongest in boys, where the geek index rose by about 1.5 points for every extra five years of paternal age. The age of the children’s mothers seemed to have almost no effect on the geek index.

 When the scientists looked at the children’s achievements at school they found that having a high IQ, a tendency to focus intensely and social aloofness were all linked to children taking more technical GCSEs. When children displayed all three traits, the effect was even more pronounced, the researchers write in the journal Translational Psychiatry. Overall, children who were born when their fathers were 50 or older were 32% more likely to achieve two A or A* grades at GCSE than children born to men aged under 25.

 Janecka said the study is one of the first to suggest that having an older father can have benefits for a child. Previous work by Janecka and others has found that children born to older men are more at risk of medical conditions including autism and schizophrenia.

 The scientists calculate that 57% of the geek index score is inherited, but that figure is likely to vary with age. If right, it suggests that DNA and the environment have roughly an equal share in how geeky someone turns out. Writing in the journal, the researchers speculate that there may be some overlap with genes that contribute to autism and a high score on their index.

 The effect that a father’s age had on their child’s geek index remained when the researchers took into account the men’s qualifications, their job and socioeconomic status. “We have known for a while about the negative consequences of advanced paternal age, but now we have shown that these children may also go on to have better educational and career prospects,” Janecka said. She added that some of the genes that contribute to geekiness and academic success might also lead to a higher risk of autism when a child inherits more of them. “With a higher ‘dose’ of these genes, and when there are other contributing risk factors, they may end up with a higher predisposition to autism.”

 The findings do not, however, make an unshakeable argument for delaying fatherhood. Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg rank among the greatest geeks in the world but both of their fathers were about 30 when they had their sons.

 If the findings are right, it is unclear why the effect is much stronger for boys than girls. Janecka said that the study may simply have failed to capture how girls display geekiness. “Maybe we aren’t measuring geekiness properly. They may be geeky in a different way to boys,” she said. But it is also possible that whatever averts autism in girls – five times as many males are diagnosed than females – also shields them from the most geeky traits.

 Research is under way to recognise why older parents are more likely to have children with particular mental disorders. One theory pinpoints mutations that build up in parents’ sperm and eggs. But with geekiness, the answer could lie in geekier men simply being more likely to delay fatherhood.

 “Certain men who delay fatherhood tend to be better educated and have better jobs and a higher geek index and they pass those genetics nto their offspring,” said Janecka. “It causes them to delay fatherhood, but other factors might contribute too.” ||||| Citation: Translational Psychiatry (2017) 7, e1156; doi:10.1038/tp.2017.125

 Published online 20 June 2017

 M Janecka1,2, F Rijsdijk1, D Rai3, A Modabbernia2 and A Reichenberg2,4

 Advanced paternal age (APA) at conception has been associated with negative outcomes in offspring, raising concerns about increasing age at fatherhood. Evidence from evolutionary and psychological research, however, suggests possible link between APA and a phenotypic advantage. We defined such advantage as educational success, which is positively associated with future socioeconomic status. We hypothesised that high IQ, strong focus on the subject of interest and little concern about ‘fitting in’ will be associated with such success. Although these traits are continuously distributed in the population, they cluster together in so-called ‘geeks’. We used these measures to compute a ‘geek index’ (GI), and showed it to be strongly predictive of future academic attainment, beyond the independent contribution of the individual traits. GI was associated with paternal age in male offspring only, and mediated the positive effects of APA on education outcomes, in a similar sexually dimorphic manner. The association between paternal age and GI was partly mediated by genetic factors not correlated with age at fatherhood, suggesting contribution of de novo factors to the ‘geeky’ phenotype. Our study sheds new light on the multifaceted nature of the APA effects and explores the intricate links between APA, autism and talent.

 Top of page Introduction Advanced paternal age (APA) at conception has been associated with a number of adverse neuropsychiatric outcomes in offspring, particularly autism spectrum disorders1, 2 and schizophrenia.3, 4 Although well replicated, it is plausible that these observations reflect only one side of the nature of the APA effects. Given that historically, conceiving a child later in life was indicative of biological fitness,5 there could also exist a link between APA and a phenotypic advantage. In an environment characterised by high mortality, only the fittest males would survive and be able to reproduce when old,6 passing their advantageous traits onto offspring. Alternatively, more recent indices of ‘fitness’—including extended educational and career pursuits—could themselves correlate with an older age at fatherhood. Either of these selection mechanisms could help offset negative effects of de novo genetic mutations that accumulate in paternal sperm with age.7 Despite broad evidence concerning negative consequences of early parenthood, the potential advantage of APA has received very little attention. Very young parents tend to be characterised by lower education and economic disadvantage,8 and their offspring were shown to be at increased risk for educational underachievement, crime, substance abuse and health problems.9 Although the effects of early reproduction are likely qualitatively different from those of APA,10 it may seem surprising that the possibility of protective effects of delayed parenthood has thus far received so little attention. Here we investigated whether having an older father is associated with certain beneficial traits. We defined such advantageous phenotype based on considerations of what could be ‘adaptive’ in the modern environment. We hypothesised that high IQ; ability to retain strong focus on the subject of interest; and some degree of social aloofness are likely to be particularly beneficial in the knowledge-driven economy. Although these traits are continuously distributed in the population, ethnographic literature groups them under an umbrella-term ‘geek’ (‘intelligent outcast’; ‘labelled because of their expertise and lack of social skills’; ‘socially awkward and overly intellectual (…) prone to obsessive interests’11, 12, 13). Therefore, we labelled our composite measure of non-verbal intelligence, restrictive interests and reduced need to fit in with the peer group as ‘geek index’ (GI). We validated our measure of GI by verifying its scope to predict future academic achievement. Although the GI components were all independently associated with school results, we show they are most beneficial when co-occurring in the ‘geek’ cluster. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that advancing paternal age is associated with higher GI in offspring. Using data from the Twin Early Development Study (TEDS), a British, population-representative study of twins, allowed us to further examine sex differences, as well as genetic and environmental contributions to this index.

 Top of page Materials and methods Sample The study used the TEDS sample, a large nationally representative cohort of British twins.14 There were 12 468 twins from 6234 families assessed at the age of 12, with data on relevant questionnaires available for 8601 (4528 families; questionnaire details below). Out of these, 7781 (4097 families) individuals had complete data on all covariates. This subset of individuals had higher mean maternal and paternal ages than those recorded in the full sample (<1 year difference for both), lower CAST scores (6% difference), higher Raven’s Matrices test results (1% difference) and higher academic achievement at age 16 (4% difference; Supplementary Table S1). All sample descriptives are presented in Supplementary Table S1. Measures GI was computed using child’s scores of (i) non-verbal intelligence, (ii) restrictive and repetitive behaviours (RRBs) and (iii) social aloofness. Scores on the Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices15 test were used to obtain (i). Childhood Autism Spectrum Test16 (CAST) scores were used to obtain both (ii) and (iii). CAST measures came from parental reports (see Supplementary Table S2 for the list of items), and the cognitive tests were completed by the TEDS participants via web platforms; all assessments took place at the age of 12. Covariates in the adjusted models included socioeconomic status (SES; index of parent qualifications and employment, and mother’s age at birth of first child), maternal age at conception, sex and zygosity. Education achievement was measured using the results of nationally standardised exams taken in the United Kingdom typically at the age of 16 in a wide range of subjects (General Certificate of Secondary Education, GCSE). The curriculum and awarding of GCSEs is overseen by examination boards regulated by the British government, ensuring consistent standards across the country and throughout the time. All pupils are required to sit exams in English Language and Literature, Mathematics and Science, but are otherwise free to choose among a number of other subjects. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects refer to the part of the school curriculum that focuses on development of the knowledge and skills essential for a number of science and technology-related careers. As such, they have been the focus of the educational policies in both United Kingdom and United States.17, 18, 19 High attainment in the STEM subjects have been consistently shown to predict future income over and above overall school performance, with STEM degree majors earning on average more than $15 000 per year than non-STEM degree majors in full-time jobs.20, 21 Geek index GI scores were computed by multiplying the non-verbal cognitive scores with the sum of the CAST social and RRBs items (after weighing down high RRB scores—see below). In order to avoid the confusion between GI and autism symptoms, and to ensure that our construct represents an advantageous trait, we recoded very high RRB scores (Supplementary Table S3), so that the highest GI scores were associated with midrange RRB values. In addition, all scales contributing to GI were linearly transformed, so that 1 represented a true score of 0, 2 a score of 1 and so on. This was done to avoid obtaining GI=0 for all individuals scoring 0 on at least one of the GI subscales, as a result of multiplication by 0. Finally, to ensure that our results did not arise due to unequal contribution of measures used to compute GI, or transformation of the RRB score described above, all analyses were also done using (i) standardised subscales and (ii) non-transformed RRB scores. Statistical analysis All analyses were conducted using R22 (version 3.2.2) and OpenMX.23 Validation of the GI To establish whether GI can predict future academic attainment, we looked at the association between GI and school results at the age of 16. The measure of academic performance reflected a product of grade score and qualification value, in approximate number of GCSE equivalents (A levels completed at this age were assumed to be double the workload of GCSEs). This enabled us to obtain an index of school attainment for all individuals regardless of the qualification taken. Given the evidence that attainment in STEM subjects is a stronger predictor of future income than attainment in Art subjects, we also investigated the association between GI and (i) number of STEM GCSEs taken, (ii) mean grades at STEM GCSEs and (iii) probability of obtaining A or A* in at least two STEM GCSEs. The effect of GI on academic performance was tested using linear and logistic mixed models fitted by maximum-likelihood procedure, with a random effect of family ID around the intercept (lme4 package), and controlling for the effects of SES, sex, zygosity and maternal age. We also verified whether the cognitive and behavioural traits used to derive the GI were associated with choosing more STEM GCSEs when clustering together, rather than existing independently of each other. We defined high/low levels of the GI subscales as ±1 s.d. from the mean, and looked at mean number of STEM GCSEs in ‘geeks’ (high IQ, socially aloof, high RRBs), compared to individuals with (i) high IQ, not socially aloof and low RRBs score and (ii) low IQ, socially aloof and high RRBs score. To investigate how specific this effect was, we performed similar analyses for GCSEs in Art subjects. Finally, we used structural equation modelling (lavaan package) to verify whether a latent construct underlain by RRBs score, non-verbal IQ and social aloofness are associated with school results at age 16. Association between paternal age and GI The association between paternal age (treated as a continuous variable) and GI was investigated using mixed models, in line with the procedures described above. Both linear and quadratic models were investigated, and a log-likelihood ratio test was used to evaluate whether adding quadratic component significantly improved the fit of the model. To validate that the association between paternal age and GI is stronger than that between paternal age and the GI subscales, we compared the size and significance level of paternal age effects on the standardised GI subscales. Given the evidence for the sexually dimorphic nature of the paternal age effects,1, 24 we tested whether the link between GI and paternal age differs between males and females. Furthermore, to ensure that our results did not arise due to either very limited number of offspring of fathers in the highest paternal age categories (paternal age >51) or enrichment of autism cases among the offspring of older men, all analyses were also conducted in (i) a subset of children with fathers aged 50 or younger at conception, and (ii) after excluding individuals with a confirmed autism diagnosis. Mediation between paternal age and education outcomes We tested the association between association paternal age and conception, applying mixed models methodology, as specified above. Next, we investigated whether this association is mediated by the effects of paternal age on GI. In line with the other procedures, this was done using a multilevel framework (mediation package), thus controlling for the family structure in our data. Paternal age was specified as a predictor, GI as a mediator and exam results as the outcome, with the covariates including SES, maternal age, zygosity and—where appropriate—sex. For each model, we run 100 simulation and used a bootstrap procedure to estimate 95% Quasi–Bayesian confidence intervals of the effect size estimates. Testing our hypothesis of sexually dimorphic effects of APA, we run the mediation analysis separately for male and female offspring. Effects of paternal age on heritability of GI We derived tetrachoric correlations for GI in mono- (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins in OpenMx, using raw data full information maximum-likelihood estimation. Given the high MZ correlation (which was more than twice the DZ correlations and suggestive of dominance effects), we ran both ADE and AE univariate twin models to obtain the standardised genetic and environmental variance components for the trait. For more details on these models see Rijsdijk and Sham,25 and Neale and Maes.26 Subsequently, we ran a basic GxE model27 on GI with paternal age as moderator. This allowed us to partition the genetic and environmental effects on GI into those that are moderated and those that are independent of paternal age. As the moderating effects on the variance components in this model could be biased by a (genetic) correlation between moderator and GI, paternal age effects were regressed out of the GI scores prior to fitting the GxE model. This model allowed us to get an insight into the mechanisms behind the association between paternal age and GI—due to perfect correlation of paternal age in MZ and DZ twins, it would not be possible to formally test the genetic and environmental contributions to this association otherwise.

 Top of page Discussion In summary, male offspring of older fathers had higher ‘geek index’ scores, a composite measure of high IQ, strong focus on the subject of interest and social aloofness. To our knowledge, this is the first time that APA was shown to associate with an advantageous outcome. GI was positively linked with future academic attainment—including the key predictors of future SES—suggesting a phenotypic advantage in the offspring of older fathers. Using a population-based longitudinal twin sample protects against bias and enhances generalisability, while controlling for the key covariates—including maternal age, SES and sex—and adjusting for the family structure mitigates against inflation in the reported effects. Molecular underpinnings of the effects of APA on GI Our study offered new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the APA effects on offspring. We showed that GI was 57% heritable, highlighting the importance of the genetic factors in educational success.29 Both familial, additive genetic effects and de novo mutations—including those accumulating in paternal sperm with age—likely contributed to this measure of heritability. We acknowledge that ‘geekiness’ likely runs in families, and correlates with paternal age at conception—and therefore, the association observed in our study is underlain largely by familial factors. Nevertheless, our results suggest that genetic influences on GI may extend beyond those. First, all associations between paternal age an GI in males remained significant after controlling for SES, which—indexing parental education and employment status—likely correlates with parental GI. Second, using a GxE model we showed that the genetic, but not environmental, contribution to GI variance increases with paternal age. In other words, genes were becoming more important in determining the GI as paternal age increased. Controlling for the genetic correlation between GI and paternal age limited the chance that the observed association arose solely due to the genetic make-up of men who decide to delay fatherhood, therefore suggesting potential contribution of de novo genetic factors. Such multifactorial nature of the APA effects—with relatively minor contribution of de novo effects—is in line with the results from recent population genetics model,30 and represents a consensus between multiple lines of evidence from molecular and epidemiological research.7, 31, 32, 33 Although these studies focused largely on the mechanisms of association between APA and neurodevelopmental disorders, as we explain below, they can provide useful insights in unravelling the factors underlying the link between paternal age and GI. ‘Geekiness’, autism and talent It is possible that the factors mediating the association between advanced paternal age and GI are overlapping with those between advanced paternal age and autism.1, 32, 34, 35 Although autism is a complex neurodevelopmental disorder that is qualitatively different from being a ‘geek’, it is possible that some of its facets are captured by the index measured in the current study. Indeed, original descriptions of autistic disorders by Kanner (1943) and Asperger (1944) involved a notion that the associated personality characteristics are relevant for development of high-level skills (‘astounding vocabulary of the speaking children, the excellent memory for events of several years before, the phenomenal rote memory for poems and names, and the precise recollection of complex patterns and sequences, bespeak good intelligence’ (Kanner, 194336); ‘the problems are compensated by a high level of original thought and experience. This can often lead to exception achievements later in life’ (Asperger, 1944, translated by Uta Frith37). Several studies point towards high prevalence of individuals with the broad autism phenotype in certain professional groups, including academics, engineers and musicians.38, 39, 40, 41, 42 Furthermore, superior performance on non-verbal cognitive tasks in individuals on the autism spectrum versus controls has been shown before,43 and common genetic variants for autism were predictive of higher IQ in the general population.44 We showed that GI was positively associated with educational attainment, including the measures particularly predictive of future SES, and fully mediated the positive association between paternal age and school results. Although we could mitigate against the results being biased by the inclusion of individuals with a diagnosis of autism, it is likely that the effects of APA on autism symptomatology in offspring are continuously distributed in the general population,2, 45 contributing to the patterns reported in the current study. If advanced paternal is associated with familial and de novo molecular events that contribute to autism, it could also contribute to the ‘cognitive strengths’ associated with the liability to this disorder—and our results capture some of this signal. Of particular interest here is the recent evidence suggesting that familial risk for autism can be partitioned into several components, including a cluster of variants contributing to high IQ.46 Although our focus here remained on the beneficial effects of APA, we must emphasise they are likely to be specific to the modern knowledge-based environment, without necessarily having such advantageous effects historically. In other words, offspring of older fathers are not inherently biologically ‘fit’; rather, the cluster of behavioural and cognitive traits, which we showed they are enriched for, conveys an advantage in modern times. This is supported by a recent study investigating offspring fitness in relation to paternal age in historical and current cohorts, with a total sample size of over 1.3 million and data spanning four centuries.47 Although APA was strongly associated with increased infant mortality in pre-industrial populations, this relationship was reversed in the 20th-century Sweden, suggesting relative recency of the phenomenon of APA-related advantage. Sexual dimorphism of the effects of APA and the ‘geek index’ The notion that APA mediated geekiness and autism via partly overlapping pathways fits in with our observations of sexually dimorphic effects of APA on GI. Previous studies consistently reported higher rates of autism in males versus females,48, 49 with suggestions of a female protective factor contributing to this gender imbalance.50 Such protective effects have yet to be characterised, with mechanisms proposed to date including X chromosome-mediated effects,51 role of hormones,52, 53 differential gene expression54 and social factors.55 Nevertheless, how these mechanisms could interact with the familial and de novo genetic factors for autism/GI discussed above remains to be elucidated. The notion of sexually dimorphic effects of APA on offspring has received some attention before, however, the evidence emerging from the research to date remains inconclusive. The majority of studies reporting sex differences in the APA effects suggested higher risk for APA-related disorders in female than in male offspring, with up to three-fold increase in risk in girls compared to boys.1, 56, 57 However, neither the meta-analysis of APA-schizophrenia studies by Miller et al.,57 nor multi-cohort autism study by Sandin et al.58 confirmed the presence of such differences. Comparison with previous findings At first, our findings seem to be at odds with previous research suggesting an association between APA and lower cognitive skills. However, the results to date have been mixed, with some studies reporting lack of APA effects on IQ,59 and others a decrease in cognitive performance in the offspring of aged fathers.50, 51 In the largest study reporting effects of paternal age on educational attainment, D’Onofrio et al.34 showed that higher paternal age was associated with better school performance (D’Onofrio appendix) in population-based analyses. In our study, advanced paternal age was associated with higher scores on the Raven’s Progressive Matrices test (data not shown), therefore the lack of agreement between our findings and the literature cannot be attributed to compounding the non-verbal IQ with other measures. Discrepancies in research could be explained by different ages of the populations studied, differences in definitions of both the outcome measure and the covariates (particularly SES), and analytical methods. It is worth noting that results regarding maternal age contribution to offspring cognitive outcomes are similarly inconclusive, with literature providing the evidence for either direction of its effects.60, 61 Strengths and limitations Our novel hypothesis, analytical methods and use of a large, population-representative sample of twins, are the main strengths of our study. Controlling for SES and maternal age, we could ensure that our results did not arise solely due to higher levels of education, better financial status in men who conceive later in life or maternal factors. Furthermore, using a mixed-model approach allowed us to leverage the unique twins data set without the risk of inflating results. Finally, we verified that our findings were not driven by outliers in the sample, and remained significant after excluding individuals of very old fathers (>50 years) or those with a diagnosis of autism. The study has, however, several limitations. It was not possible to determine whether the advantageous effects of GI extend beyond secondary education, and correlate with future SES. It remains possible that personality traits associated with GI cease to be advantageous later in life. In career settings, cognitive flexibility and ability to tune in to subtle social cues may convey more benefits than strong focus and pursuing one’s goal irrespective of others’ opinion. Although we could show that GI was strongly associated with measures of educational attainment in STEM subjects, which has been previously shown to strongly predict future income, we could not test these effects directly because cohort members are young. We also could not verify whether high GI is associated with any adverse outcomes, for example, worse socioemotional functioning, and we acknowledge that the ‘geek’ phenotype has yet to be fully characterised. Finally, we could not control for paternal age at birth of his first child. Although this would be a useful predictor of the socioeconomic index composite and would help verify the GI in offspring of men who delay versus those who extend fatherhood, relevant data had not been collected.

 Top of page Conclusions Results of our study indicate that APA is associated with some phenotypic advantage in male offspring. A cluster of behavioural and cognitive traits identified as characteristic of ‘geeks’ was strongly predictive of academic, and thus likely also career success. We could show that paternal age is more strongly associated with such combination of traits than any of these traits alone, suggesting a special relationship between APA and educational attainment. Such an association is likely to be mediated by factors similar to those linking APA and autism. Our results provide original insights into the possibility of phenotypic advantage associated with delayed fatherhood.

 Top of page Conflict of interest The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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 Top of page Acknowledgements We thank Anastasio Nougos for his insights. The authors also acknowledge funding given to Magdalena Janecka (Seaver Autism Centre Fellowship) and Abraham Reichenberg (MIEHS grant, MINERvA), as well as thank Professor Robert Plomin for granting us access to the Twin Early Development Study (TEDS) data and his helpful comments on the manuscript. We gratefully acknowledge the ongoing contribution of the participants in the TEDS and their families. TEDS is supported by a program grant to Robert Plomin from the UK Medical Research Council (MR/M021475/1 and previously G0901245). Author contributions MJ, AR, DR and AM conceived the study design; FR and MJ worked on the statistical analyses; MJ, FR, DR, AM and AR wrote the manuscript.

 Supplementary Information accompanies the paper on the Translational Psychiatry website ||||| Image copyright Getty Images Image caption A stereotype of a geek, holding a cupcake

 Men who delay starting a family are more likely to have "geekier" sons, a study suggests.

 They were brighter, more focused and less bothered about fitting in - according to the "Geek Index" devised by King's College London.

 The mother's age had no impact, and daughters seemed to be immune.

 One scientist said a trend for delayed parenthood might mean we were heading towards a "society of geniuses" able to solve the world's problems.

 The findings are rare good news in the science of delayed fatherhood.

 Repeated studies have shown that older sperm is more prone to genetic errors and children are more likely to develop autism and schizophrenia.

 The researchers looked at test results from 15,000 twins taking part in a huge study tracking their development.

 The team then created the Geek Index by scoring the twins geeky traits, when they were 12, by looking at their:

 non-verbal IQ

 ability to focus on a subject

 social aloofness

 Those with a high geek score, unsurprisingly, went on to do better at school - particularly in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

 Possible explanations include:

 Geekier dads could be taking longer to start a family and pass on geeky traits to their children

 Older men have a home setting (due to stable, better paid jobs giving more access to education or experience from previous children) that encourages geeky traits

 New mutations in sperm that affect development

 Dr Magdalena Janecka, from King's College London, told the BBC News website: "Paternal age should not be the main focus when we're thinking about risk, individual families should not influence their decisions on parenthood based on these findings."

 The gender differences are not fully explained.

 It could be the measure of geekiness failed to spot differences in how it emerged in boys and girls, the scientists said. Or it could be down to differences in the way the brains of the boys and girls developed.

 Prof Allan Pacey, from the University of Sheffield, said: "Whilst it may be chic to be a geek, I would not recommend that would-be parents delay their plans to start a family to specifically increase the odds of having a child with geek-like qualities.

 "The dangers of older parenting are well described, such as an increased risk of infertility, miscarriage, or conceiving a child with a variety of debilitating disorders.

 "However, I do find the idea of a 'geek gene' quite intriguing, and, given our recent trend to have our children later in life, perhaps we are destined for future society of geniuses that are going to help us solve all the world's problems."

 The research team also believe some genetic traits being inherited from older fathers could be affecting both geekiness and autism.

 Dr Janecka said: "When the child is born only with some of those genes, they may be more likely to succeed in school.

 "However, with a higher 'dose' of these genes, and when there are other contributing risk factors, they may end up with a higher predisposition for autism."

 Follow James on Twitter. |||||

Write a summary.

– A new study suggests an upside for boys who have older dads: higher IQs. More specifically, they tend to score higher on what the researchers call the "geek index," reports the Guardian. And this is clearly seen as a positive: "If you look at who does well in life right now, it’s geeks," says Magdalena Janecka at King’s College London. The geek index, she explains, is determined by such factors as ability to focus, non-verbal IQ scores taken at age 12, and social aloofness. The latter trait may sound like a negative, but the BBC frames it as the boys not being overly concerned with fitting in. A mother's age appears to have no impact. The team studied more than 7,000 sets of twins in the UK. The average geek score for boys born to dads 25 or younger is 39. It goes up to 41 when dads had the child between 35 and 44, and jumps to 47 when dads were 50 or older. The impact was less pronounced on girls, and more pronounced when measuring science, tech, engineering, and math scores. Kids born to fathers 50 or older were 32% more likely to earn at least two A's on standardized tests than children born to men aged under 25, the researchers report in Translational Psychiatry. They calculate that 57% of the geek index score is inherited, with possible overlap between genes that contribute to a high geek score and to autism. “Our primary hypothesis is that higher levels of those ‘geeky’ traits in offspring of older men are mainly due is due to characteristics of the fathers themselves," Janecka tells Newsweek. "Men who decide to delay fatherhood often do so due to their extended career and educational pursuits, and likely themselves display higher levels of ‘geekiness.’” (Younger fathers are also likelier to die younger.)


– Winter storm Hercules continues to flex its muscles, dumping well over a foot of snow in places, sparking states of emergency, and bringing with it freezing temperatures and the threat of hypothermia. Experts warn that even shoveling your driveway can be dangerous. The latest: It seems the warning of up to a foot of snow might have been wishful thinking for some: Nearly two feet fell in some areas, including 21 inches in Boxford, Mass. (that's about 30 miles north of Boston), and 18 inches near both Gurnee, Ill., and Rochester, NY, as of early this morning, Weather Underground and the AP report. NBC News notes winter weather and wind chill warnings have been in effect in at least 22 states, affecting more than 100 million people from Chicago through the New York tri-state area into New England. Both New York and New Jersey have declared states of emergency. Along with the 2,000 flights cancelled yesterday, another 1,350 have been grounded today, according to NBC News. JFK Airport this morning suspended flights because of zero visibility; Boston's Logan is effectively non-operational as well. A meteorologist told NBC that some areas in the Midwest could see chilling temperatures not recorded since the mid-1980s. "People that are vulnerable are really going to be hurting," added one. The cold could be bad news for road crews and homeowners: Snow-melting salt stops working between 10 and 20 degrees. And a second icy wave is coming, expected to hit the Midwest on Sunday and Monday then move east. It's going to be seriously cold, with an expected high in Chicago on Monday of -8. Plenty of kids are getting an extended holiday today, with schools, including all public schools in Boston and New York City, closed throughout the region. But Pennsylvania saw a storm-related tragedy: A salt yard worker prepping for the storm was killed when a 100-foot pile of rock salt buried him.

Expand this summary.

High winds, frigid temperatures and a lot of snow hit the East Coast overnight, and cities are scrambling to manage the impact. NBC's Ron Mott reports from Boston.

 A massive winter storm dumped 20 inches of snow on parts of New England and looked set to cripple much of the Midwest and Northeast on Friday as millions faced dangerously cold temperatures.

 Sub-zero wind chills arrived with the storm, and the biting wind and blowing snow have shut down interstates and airports alike.

 John F. Kennedy Airport in New York was officially closed at 6:12 a.m. Friday and is not expected to re-open until 8:30 a.m., and Boston's Logan International is effectively shutdown, as well.

 Interstate 84 in New York and the Long Island Expressway, closed at midnight as the storm roared in, remained so until 8 a.m.

 Snowfall reports varied widely, with New York City receiving 7 inches, Baltimore some 3 to 6 inches, Philadelphia roughly 5 inches, Hartford 6 to 10 inches and Boston as much as 14 inches.

 Some 20 inches have already fallen on other parts of Massachusetts, according to The Weather Channel lead meteorologist Michael Palmer. Boxford, Mass., northwest of Boston, reported 21 inches.

 Schools across the Northeast, including all public schools in New York City, are closed Friday.

 Winter weather and wind-chill advisories were in effect in at least 22 states, stretching from Chicago through the New York tri-state region into New England and affecting an area home to more than 100 million people.

 NBC's Tom Costello provides a winter travel update, and reports that hundreds of flights have been canceled after a winter storm struck the East Coast.

 The cold behind the snowstorm could be deadly, with parts of the Midwest expecting lows not seen since the mid-1980s, according to Palmer.

 "It's going to be brutal," Weather Channel coordinating meteorologist Tom Moore said. "People that are vulnerable are really going to be hurting."

 The high temperature in New York City will be in the teens on Friday during the day and drop to between 5 and 8 degrees in the evening, with the wind chill making it feel well below zero.

 "This is nothing to be trifled with," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. "We have learned too well over the past few years the power of Mother Nature. We have seen the damage that has been done."

 Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick dismissed all state workers at 3 p.m. on Thursday, and urged residents to minimize time outside and be aware of frostbite and hypothermia symptoms. "That is a very, very dangerous set of circumstances," he said.

 Temperatures from upstate New York to Maine were below zero, and wind chills — the "feels like" effect — were minus-30 in some spots.

 Across the Northeast, residents were fretting about the blast of bitter cold.

 “I think I’m more concerned about the terrible cold Friday night rather than the storm itself," David Ball of Scituate, Mass., which was facing coastal flooding, told NBC affiliate WHDH. "Hopefully the power stays on."

 The weather was affecting air travel, with some 1,600 flights being cancelled Friday on top of about 2,000 on Thursday, according to flight tracking website FlightAware.

 Thirty planes sat on the tarmac at Chicago’s Midway International Airport on Thursday night, with hundreds of passengers forced to wait while the runways were cleared for takeoff, reported NBC Chicago. Some travelers said they sat inside idled planes for up to four hours.

 NBC's Kristen Dahlgren reports from Long Island, NY, where a blizzard warning is still in effect and many public buildings have shut down.

 “We arrived at 10 p.m. and its [sic] getting cold on the plane,” passenger Efraid Mata wrote in an email to NBC Chicago.

 The delays and cancellations in the Midwest and Northeast created a logjam in the rest of the country’s flight schedules. Even in warm and sunny Southern California, dozens of flights at LAX in Los Angeles were put on hold or scrapped Thursday, with the same expected Friday.

 The first brutal blast of cold shattered records in Minnesota on Thursday — and a second blast is expected to barrel from the Great Plains and Midwest on Sunday and Monday and into the East on Tuesday.

 The second wave of icy weather will stretch from the upper Midwest to Kentucky and Tennessee, forecasters said.

 Chicago will struggle to get above minus 8 and by Monday morning the wind will make it feel like it's 40 below zero there.

 In Green Bay, Wis., where the Packers host an NFL playoff game Sunday evening, the low temperature could reach minus 18.

 "Even Atlanta's northern suburbs could be in single digits by Monday night," Moore said.

 Larry Wittmers, a hypothermia expert at the University of Minnesota-Duluth medical school, said it's not necessarily the coldest areas that face the most peril.

 "True hypothermia cases turn up more often in more southern regions because people are not prepared and don't know what to do," Wittmers said.

 How long people can safely spend outside depends on how wet or windy it is and how they are dressed, Wittmer said. Shoveling snow or other exercise can be dangerous because sweat reduces the insulation capability of clothing, and consuming alcohol can speed heat loss and reduce awareness of the cold.

 And even though record snowfall is not expected, the cold could make roads even more hazardous because the snow-melting salt that homeowners and road crews use loses effectiveness at between 10 and 20 degrees.

 To give plows time to work and guard against vehicles getting stranded, New York's Gov. Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency and closed several major roads. New Jersey also declared a state of emergency.

 "As this winter storm unfolds, bringing heavy snow and high winds to many parts of the state, I strongly urge all New Yorkers to exercise caution, avoid travel and stay indoors," Cuomo said.

 At the Pine Street Inn shelter in Boston, vice president Heidi Daniels was preparing for a packed house.

 "We won't turn anybody away," she said. "We'll pull out cots and mats and make sure everybody has a warm place to stay tonight."

 NBC News' Tracy Connor, Daniel Arkin and Ron Mott contributed to this story.

 Related:

 This story was originally published on ||||| By Dr. Jeff MastersJanuary 1, 2016

 Nine Category 5 storms whipped into life over the world's oceans in 2015: five in the Northwest Pacific, one in the Northeast Pacific, one in the Southeast Pacific, and two in the South Indian Ocean. Since accurate global satellite records began in 1990, only one year has seen more--1997.

 By Christopher C. BurtDecember 9, 2015

 The title should read ’Waiting for El Nino-enhanced precipitation’ to affect the state since this, so far, has yet to occur. However, hopefully this will be the last blog I write for a while concerning how dry California has been these past years: a series of storms are now taking aim at the state and, perhaps, the beginning to the end of California’s drought nightmare is at hand. Nevertheless, there is an item of concern: previous strong/very strong El Ninos brought heavy early season rain and snow to the state during their respective Novembers. This has not happened this time around. Here are the details.

 By Stu OstroOctober 5, 2015

 The confluence of meteorological ingredients the first weekend in October 2015 resulted in an extraordinary weather event with severe impacts. Was one of them a 1000-year flood?

 By Shaun TannerSeptember 16, 2015

 By now, many of you have heard or read about the arrest of Ahmed Mohamed, a 14-year-old high school student from Irving, Texas. Ahmed was arrested because school officials called the police after he showed one of his teachers his homemade clock. Mistaken for a bomb, Ahmed was taken into custody, interrogated, shamed, suspended (still on suspension today, Wednesday), and reprimanded. All of this after it has been found that the "device" he brought to school was indeed, a homemade clock.

 By Tom NiziolMay 15, 2014

 It was a very interesting winter across a good part of the nation from the Rockies through the Plains to the Northeast. Let's break down the most significant winter storms on a month by month basis.

 By Angela FritzSeptember 27, 2013

 Melting permafrost has the potential to release an additional 1.5 trillion tons of carbon into the atmosphere, and could increase our global average temperature by 1.5°F in addition to our day-to-day human emissions. However, this effect is not included in the IPCC report issued Friday morning, which means the estimates of how Earth's climate will change are likely on the conservative side. ||||| BOSTON (AP) — A blustering winter storm that dropped nearly 2 feet of snow just north of Boston, shut down major highways in New York and Pennsylvania and forced U.S. airlines to cancel thousands of flights nationwide menaced the Northeast on Friday with howling winds and frigid temperatures.

 Snow accumulates on an NYPD officer in Times Square, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in New York. The snow storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing cold into the Northeast. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (Associated Press)

 Pedestrians cross 34th Street and 6th Avenue under falling snow in Herald Square, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in New York. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing cold into the Northeast.... (Associated Press)

 Taxis drive across the Brooklyn Bridge during a winter storm in New York, late Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing cold into the Northeast. (AP Photo/Karly... (Associated Press)

 Trucks plow a road at Willowbrook Mall, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Wayne, N.J. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are expected for the overnight hours with substantial accumulation predicted. (AP Photo/Julio... (Associated Press)

 A sidewalk snow plow clears the intersection of Market Street and North Washington Street, Thursday Jan. 2, 2014 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. as the snow continues to fall. (AP Photo Citizens' Voice, Andrew Krech)... (Associated Press)

 Vehicles commute on Route 46 as snow accumulates on the road, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Wayne, N.J. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are expected for the overnight hours with substantial accumulation... (Associated Press)

 People walk outside of a store under heavy snow, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Fairfield, N.J. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are expected for the overnight hours with substantial accumulation predicted.... (Associated Press)

 A vehicle rides on an overpass over Route 46 as snow accumulates on the road, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Wayne, N.J. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are expected for the overnight hours with warnings... (Associated Press)

 A New Jersey Department of Trasnsport truck spreads agent on the off ramp for Lawnsidem N.J., on southbound Interstate 295, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, as road crews are once again emptying out the salt... (Associated Press)

 An electric utilities truck drives over a flooded road along the waterfront during a snowstorm, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Portland, Maine. Astronomical high tides, strong winds and frigid temperatures... (Associated Press)

 A lone cyclist works his way down Walnut Street, avoiding traffic but not the falling snow Thursday night, Jan. 2, 2014. (AP Photo/The Philadelphia Inquirer,Michael Bryant ) PHIX OUT; TV OUT; MAGS OUT;... (Associated Press)

 Michelle Kottke shovels snow with the help of her dog Harlee in Barrington, Ill., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. The New Year's Day snow storm stretched into Thursday for parts of Illinois, bringing double-digit... (Associated Press)

 David Paluch brushes off snow from his truck in front of his home in Barrington, Ill., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. The New Year's Day snow storm stretched into Thursday for parts of Illinois, bringing double-digit... (Associated Press)

 Kevin Pokorny works on his third house clearing snow for neighbors in Barrington, Ill., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. The New Year's Day snow storm stretched into Thursday for parts of Illinois, bringing double-digit... (Associated Press)

 Highway crews work to clear snow from roads on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Henniker, N.H. About 6 to 10 inches of snow is expected in the southern half of New Hampshire, and up to a foot in the Seacoast... (Associated Press)

 Marco Iuele inspects a salt spreader while shopping at Meadowlands Hardware, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in East Rutherford, N.J. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are expected for Thursday night with substantial... (Associated Press)

 A worker at the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation facility makes preparations for an expected winter storm, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Associated Press)

 Jordan Beaudrie rides his bike in the snow in St. Clair Shores, Mich., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. A multi-day storm dropped up to a foot of snow on parts of Michigan, causing crashes and spinouts on roadways.... (Associated Press)

 A pedestrian walks in the snow on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Albany, N.Y. Up to 5 inches of snow had fallen in eastern New York early Thursday, but the National Weather Service said some areas from Buffalo... (Associated Press)

 A child makes a snow angel in Times Square, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in New York. The snow storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing cold into the Northeast. (AP Photo/John Minchillo) (Associated Press)

 Children make a snow pile in Times Square, during a snowstorm, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in New York. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing cold into the Northeast. (AP Photo/John... (Associated Press)

 Two people dressed as Disney characters talk under falling snow in Times Square, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in New York. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing cold into the Northeast.... (Associated Press)

 A pedestrian takes a photograph under falling snow in Times Square, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in New York. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing cold into the Northeast. (AP Photo/John... (Associated Press)

 Workers clean snow from the steps of TKTS Times Square ticket booth, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in New York. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing cold into the Northeast. (AP Photo/John... (Associated Press)

 People walk through a park on the waterfront in Brooklyn near the Manhattan Bridge during a winter storm in New York, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing... (Associated Press)

 A person brushes snow off a vehicle in the parking lot of Willowbrook Mall, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Wayne, N.J. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are expected for the overnight hours with substantial... (Associated Press)

 A person brushes snow off a vehicle in the parking lot of Willowbrook Mall, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Wayne, N.J. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are expected for the overnight hours with substantial... (Associated Press)

 Snow falls in the Cultural District of downtown Pittsburgh during evening rush hour on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. A storm expected to bring more than a foot of snow, stiff winds and punishing cold pushed... (Associated Press)

 Kim Lane peers out from her scarf and hat while shoveling outside her house on Plum Street in Erie, Pa. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. A winter storm promising significant snowfall, strong winds and frigid... (Associated Press)

 A pickup trucked is pulled out of the snow along southbound I-75 near Dixie Highway by a tow truck in Clarkston, Mich., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. Roads were slippery and snow-covered in Detroit and its... (Associated Press)

 Golf carts, in a storage lot, are covered with snow in Holly, Mich., Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. (AP Photo/Detroit News, Charles V. Tines) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT; HUFFINGTON POST OUT, MADATORY CREDIT (Associated Press)

 Visitors stop on the waterfront in Brooklyn to photograph the Brooklyn Bridge during a winter storm in New York, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing... (Associated Press)

 Laurie Edwards clears snow from her car outside her house on Plum Street in Erie, Pa. on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. A winter storm promising significant snowfall, strong winds and frigid air bore down Thursday... (Associated Press)

 Sanitation trucks mounted with snow plows are parked on the west side of Manhattan in New York, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. The National Weather Service is forecasting 4 to 8 inches of snow overnight in the... (Associated Press)

 Dallas Todd, 11, rides down a hill in a saucer at Lake Harbor Park in of Norton Shores, Mich., Tuesday, Jan. 2, 2014. (AP Photo/The Muskegon Chronicle, Natalie Kolb) ALL LOCAL TV OUT; LOCAL TV INTERNET... (Associated Press)

 A woman walks through a park on the waterfront in Brooklyn near the Manhattan Bridge during a winter storm in New York, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014. The storm is expected to bring snow, stiff winds and punishing... (Associated Press)

 A shopper pushes a cart while walking out of a store under heavy snow, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, in Fairfield, N.J. Snow and bone-chilling temperatures are expected for the overnight hours with substantial... (Associated Press)

 The brutal weather — which brought plummeting temperatures to some areas that forecasters predicted could see highs just above zero and wind chill readings of minus 10 degrees and colder by early Friday — dumped 21 inches of snow in Boxford, Mass., by late Thursday and 18 inches in parts of western New York near Rochester. Up to 7 inches fell in New York City by Friday morning.

 The snowfall, frigid cold and stiff winds extended the holiday break for some students for a second day while posing the first test for New York City's new mayor and perhaps the last challenge for Boston's outgoing one.

 U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,300 flights because of the snowfall and low visibility.

 "It's been a tough road," traveler Heather Krochuk, of Toronto, Canada, said inside a Boston hotel Thursday night after her flight home out of Logan International Airport got canceled in what's turned into a 36-hour trip from Seattle, where she spent Christmas with her husband, Ron.

 But, she said, "we have a place to sleep that isn't the airport."

 Snow began falling overnight Wednesday in parts of New England and New York state, but the brunt of the storm began late Thursday. The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for Cape Cod, coastal areas north and south of Boston and part of Maine as well as New York's Long Island.

 Forecasters warned that gusts of up to 30 miles per hour could bring wind chills to minus 25 degrees, cold enough to cause frostbite in about 30 minutes or less. The weather service said people should dress warmly to avoid hypothermia and cover all exposed skin.

 Governors in New York and New Jersey declared states of emergency, urging residents to stay home. Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick said state offices that closed early Thursday would remain closed Friday. He said National Guard members and state police were on standby for any high tide flooding in vulnerable coastal areas, but no mandatory evacuations had been ordered.

 New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo ordered three major highways in his state, stretching from Long Island to Albany, closed overnight. The Thruway between Albany and the Bronx reopened for passenger vehicles at 5 a.m. Friday and was scheduled to reopen to commercial vehicles at 8 a.m. The Long Island Expressway and Interstate 84 between the Pennsylvania and Connecticut borders were scheduled to reopen at 8 a.m. Southbound Interstate 95 closed in Philadelphia because of a jackknifed tractor-trailer.

 As of late Thursday in Connecticut, about 3 inches of snow had fallen in Hartford County, and 3 inches were reported in East Hartford and Simsbury. Parts of New Hampshire had 5.5 inches, and areas of Rhode Island had more than 2.

 Outreach teams looked to get homeless people off the frigid streets of New York City and Boston.

 Staff members at the Pine Street Inn were keeping the Boston shelter open 24 hours and said they would turn no one away, even if it meant setting up extra cots in lobbies and other common areas.

 The heavy weather began rolling in just a day after New York Mayor Bill de Blasio was sworn in to lead the nation's largest city and a few days before Boston Mayor Thomas Menino ends 20 years in office on Monday.

 De Blasio, who as public advocate in 2010 criticized his predecessor Mayor Michael Bloomberg for his handling of a large snowstorm, dispatched hundreds of plows and salt spreaders on the streets as soon as the snow started falling Thursday night. Forecasters said that while only 5 inches of snow had fallen in Central Park by early Friday, up to 8 inches were still expected in the city.

 "If you don't need to go out, please don't go out," de Blasio said at a news conference Thursday evening, urging residents to use mass transit. "Stay off the streets, stay out of your cars."

 Across the region, state and local police were busy responding to accidents and reports of stranded vehicles.

 Amtrak planned to run trains on all of its Northeast lines on Friday but operate on a modified schedule, spokeswoman Christina Leeds said. Metro-North Railroad, which runs trains between New York City and suburban Connecticut, Long Island and New York's Hudson Valley, was operating on a Saturday schedule, meaning about 60 percent of its typical weekday trains were running.

 As the storm approached, a worker at a suburban Philadelphia salt storage facility was killed when a 100-foot-tall pile of road salt fell and crushed him. Falls Township police said the man was trapped while operating a backhoe. There was no word on what may have caused the accident.

 Douglass Bibule shopped for rock salt and other supplies at a home improvement store in Watertown, N.Y.

 "Well, there will be some shoveling that I will have to do and some sanding," he said. "I've got to go home and do some stretching exercises to make sure I don't hurt myself while doing that, and do a little shopping to make sure that we have all the supplies that we need. We need food because we have three older children at home."

 The snowstorm worked its way east from the Midwest, where it dropped up to a foot of snow on Michigan and more than a foot in parts of Illinois, prompting the cancellation Thursday of hundreds of flights at both Chicago airports.

 Nearly 17 inches of snow fell in some of Chicago's northern suburbs, and more than 12 inches of snow was recorded at Midway International Airport.

 ___

 Associated Press writers John Christoffersen in New Haven, Conn., Wilson Ring in Montpelier, Vt., Holly Ramer in Concord, N.H., Jim Fitzgerald and Jonathan Lemire in New York City, David Sharp in Portland, Maine, Bruce Shipkowski in Toms River, N.J., and Jackie Quinn in Washington, D.C., contributed to this report. |||||


(CNN) A woman killed three people and wounded three others before fatally shooting herself at a drugstore distribution center Thursday in Harford County, Maryland, officials said.

 A source close to the investigation said the woman was a disgruntled employee. Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler told reporters the woman was a temporary employee and showed up for work at her normal time at the facility near Aberdeen.

 She shot people outside the building and on the warehouse floor, he said. The woman died at a nearby hospital after shooting herself in the head, he said.

 She was identified by the sheriff's office as Snochia Moseley, 26, from Baltimore County.

 Police are still searching for a motive, he added.

 A law enforcement official briefed on the incident said the suspect was at some point a security guard at the Rite Aid support facility where the shooting occurred.

 The suspect used a 9 mm Glock pistol and brought several magazines for the gun, Gahler said at a news conference. The gun was hers and was purchased legally, he said.

 The sheriff wouldn't release any details about the six victims or the shooter, saying that their next of kin were still being notified.

 No law enforcement officers fired shots during their response, he said. Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center received four patients with "priority one gunshot wounds," said spokeswoman Kristin Mears.

 At a news conference, Ray Fang, the hospital's trauma medical director, said two of the victims were stable and doing well, while two remain seriously injured. All the victims were out of surgery, he said.

 Fang declined to provide additional information until he was sure all the victims' families had been notified.

 Rite Aid spokeswoman Susan Henderson said roughly 1,000 employees work at the distribution center, where products are received and processed for delivery.

 "The shooting happened adjacent to the primary building," she said.

 Neighbor: 'It's right on the doorstep'

 Colleen Hendrickson, who lives and works in the area, said she was waiting on the bus when someone told her there had been a shooting nearby.

 "I, of course, thought it was far off or, that's like down the road or something, right?" she told CNN affiliate WJZ . "No, it's right outside. It's right on the doorstep."

 She saw emergency vehicles, including ambulances, and helicopters, which were out of place for the "sleepy" part of the county, she said. The area is home to many warehouses and plants, some belonging to major brands, including makeup and bleach companies.

 "It's really just usually very calm, and this is the most chaotic I've ever seen it," she told the station. "It's very scary when it's just right there on your doorstep because you can see a billion news reports about shooters, about emergency instances, and it still doesn't make it real to you."

 People were being asked to avoid the area just outside the city of Perryman, roughly 30 miles northeast of Baltimore. Homes, churches and a cemetery are in the vicinity. Railroad tracks run alongside a business park.

 It's the third high-profile shooting in the US in two days

 Deputies were dispatched at 9:09 a.m. ET, the sheriff said. They were on the scene in five minutes.

 The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives sent agents from Baltimore. The FBI's Baltimore office is also assisting.

 "We are closely monitoring the horrific shooting," Gov. Larry Hogan tweeted. "Our prayers are with all those impacted, including our first responders. The state stands ready to offer any support."

 A shooting at The shooting came a day after two other shootings that made national news.A shooting at an office complex in Middleton, Wisconsin , left three people hurt Wednesday, and a gunman wounded four people at the Masontown Borough Municipal Center in Pennsylvania later in the day.

 Police killed the shooters in both Wednesday incidents. ||||| A temporary employee at a Rite Aid distribution center in Harford County fatally shot three co-workers and injured three others before killing herself Thursday morning, police said.

 The shooting in Perryman, an unincorporated area of the county near Aberdeen, was one of three to erupt in U.S. workplaces in the space of 24 hours and came less than a year after a gunman killed three fellow employees at another Harford County business.

 Police identified the Rite Aid shooter as Snochia Moseley, 26, who lived in the White Marsh neighborhood of Baltimore County, and said she died in an area hospital where she had been taken. Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler declined to release the names the victims, saying families were still being notified of their deaths.

 The gun used in the shooting, a 9 mm Glock handgun, was registered and owned by Moseley, he said.

 Employees were shot both inside and outside the distribution center, Gahler said. The motive for the shooting is not yet known.

 Dispatchers received a report of shots fired at the distribution center at 9:06 a.m., Gahler said, and police and emergency personnel arrived just over five minutes later.

 As reports of the shooting circulated, relatives of workers rushed to the area or tried to reach them by phone. Those who were successful said workers told them gunfire suddenly rang out, sending many diving for cover even as they saw their fellow employees struck and falling to the ground.

 Others couldn’t reach their loved ones, and only learned later in the afternoon that they had not been hurt when buses brought them to a makeshift reunification center at the Level Volunteer Fire Co. in Havre de Grace.

 A temporary employee at a Rite Aid distribution center in Harford County fatally shot three co-workers and injured three others before killing herself Thursday morning, police said.

 Andre Cedeno had rushed from his own workplace 25 minutes away to try to see his sister, who was in her second week on the job at the Rite Aid center. Cedeno said she told him she ran inside and hid in a bathroom.

 “She had a panic,” Cedeno said. “It’s crazy that people don’t respect life.”

 Rite Aid employs 1,000 full-time, 300 temporary and 30 part-time employees between two distribution facilities in Perryman.

 The drug store chain is the largest tenant in its building at Enterprise Business Park where the shooting occurred. Other tenants in the building include Maines Paper & Food, a New York-based food service distributor, and Zenith Global Logistics, a trucking company. Clorox has a distribution operation in a building across the parking lot.

 Pete Strella, Rite Aid’s manager of communications, said the retailer closed the center and is assessing when to reopen it. Clorox also halted its operations.

 “Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved in this tragic incident, as well as their loved ones,” Strella said in an email.

 Gahler said multiple agencies responded, and no law enforcement officers fired shots. The FBI Baltimore office and special agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms also were assisting in the investigation.

 Two people died on the scene. Four people were taken to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore and one to Christiana Hospital in Newark, Del. Two died, including the shooter, at Bayview. The other three had non-life-threatening injuries, officials said.

 The shootings mark the latest spasm of gun violence to beset Maryland and other parts of the country. In June, a gunman stormed the Capital Gazette newsroom in Annapolis, killing five staff members. Jarrod Ramos, a Laurel man with a grudge against The Capital, is awaiting trial on 23 charges. In March, a student at Great Mills High School in Southern Maryland shot and killed a 16-year-old classmate and injured a 14-year old boy.

 And Thursday’s shootings come just 11 months after three co-workers were killed at a kitchen countertop company in Edgewood, less than 10 miles away. Two fellow employees were also injured in the October 2017 attack.

 “We stand here yet again,” Gahler said Thursday as he updated the media.

 The Edgewood victims’ co-worker, Radee L. Prince, is awaiting trial in Maryland on murder and firearm charges; he was convicted of attempted manslaughter and other charges for the shooting of a business owner in Wilmington, Del., following the killings in Edgewood. He was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the Delaware shooting.

 On Thursday, the Rite Aid center became the third U.S. workplace to erupt in gunfire in the past 24 hours.

 “Three workplace active shooting attacks in just the last 24 hours should spark outrage in every American,” former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords said in a statement Thursday. Giffords was shot in the head at a “Congress on Your Corner” event outside a grocery store in the Tucson area in 2011 and has become an anti-gun violence activist.

 “If gun violence feels like it's become an everyday occurrence, that's because it is,” she said. “But every time you hear news of another shooting, remind yourself that this level of gun violence is not normal. No other developed nation experiences this kind of daily heartbreak and horror.”

 Around 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, four people were shot at a software company, WTS Paradigm, in Middleton, Wis., by a 43-year-old co-worker, police said. The gunman was shot and killed by police. Three of the injured were in serious condition as of Thursday morning, one suffered a graze wound.

 Then, around 2 p.m., four people including a police officer were shot after a man opened fire outside a judge’s office in a municipal building in Masontown, Pa. The suspect, Patrick Dowdell, 61, was shot and killed by police. Dowdell had a preliminary hearing scheduled for Wednesday on domestic charges of strangulation, aggravated assault and terroristic threats from an incident several weeks ago, according to news reports.

 Gov. Larry Hogan said he had been “closely monitoring” the Harford County situation during the day.

 “The First Lady and I are grieving for the loss of life in today's shooting in Harford County, and praying that those who were injured fully recover,” he said in a tweet. “I remain in close contact with Harford County officials and state and local law enforcement as they continue to investigate.”

 Church Creek Elementary School, a few miles away from the shooting scene, had been placed on a modified lockdown Thursday.

 When a bus pulled up to the reunification center with Rite Aid workers on board, joy broke out as those waiting outside spotted familiar faces. One woman ran forward with outstretched arms and shouted in glee. ||||| Officials: Woman Kills 3, Injures 3 Before Taking Her Own Life In Aberdeen Shooting

 A woman shot and killed three people, and wounded three others before taking her own life at a Rite Aid warehouse in Aberdeen on Thursday.

 Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler wasn't ready to identify the 26-year-old in a Thursday afternoon press conference, but said she was a temporary employee whose last known address was in Baltimore County. Authorities do not yet have a motive.

 Authorities later confirmed the 26-year-old woman is Snochia Moseley. Prior to that, the 11 News I-Team's Lisa Robinson reached a woman believed to be related to the suspect via telephone. The woman hung up saying, "I just lost my daughter."

 Moseley has no prior criminal record. Online court records only show a slew of unresolved traffic cases and a civil case related to an unpaid Baltimore County tax bill.

 Investigators believe the shooting began outside Rite Aid's Perryman Distribution Center in the business park at 1501 Perryman Road, then moved inside, Gahler said. The call came into police at around 9:06 a.m., Gahler said. Gahler said deputies are working to establish a timeline of the shooting.

 Multiple sources say this is the vehicle of the suspect in the Rite Aid Distribution Center shooting no license plates and police escort. #wbal pic.twitter.com/FIp60PPCI4 — Lowell Melser (@MelserWBAL) September 20, 2018

 Investigators believe the shooting began outside Rite Aid's Perryman Distribution Center in the business park at 1501 Perryman Road, then moved inside, Gahler said. The call came into police at around 9:06 a.m., Gahler said. Gahler said deputies are working to establish a timeline of the shooting.

 Deputies and other first responders arrived just over five minutes later. Law enforcement officers paired up with medics, rendered first aid and attempted to locate suspects, Gahler said. The shooter was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound and died at an area hospital. Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene.

 The shooter used a single handgun registered to her and multiple magazines, Gahler said. He didn't say how many shots were fired, but said none were fired by law enforcement.

 Company officials were told about the shooting by someone inside the building. Some 1,000 people work at the facility.

 "We are continuing to work closely with authorities as they conduct their investigation," Rite Aid spokesman Peter Strella said. "The facility has been closed and we are assessing when it will be reopened. Grief counselors will be made available to our associates and will remain available as long as they are needed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all those involved in this tragic incident, as well as their loved ones.”

 .@wbalradio has confirmed that the shooting happened at the @riteaid facility on Perryman Road in Aberdeen, per a company spokesperson — Phil Yacuboski (@WBALPhil) September 20, 2018

 I’m reporting live on @wbalradio now from the scene of the @riteaid distribution facility where @Harford_Sheriff says multiple people have been shot along Perryman Rd outside of #Aberdeen Listen for team coverage of this #MassShooting pic.twitter.com/rORN9Bew0o — Scott Wykoff (@ScottWykoffWBAL) September 20, 2018

 There is a family reunification center at the Level Fire Company at 3633 Level Village Road in Havre de Grace.

 The Harford County Emergency Operations Center is partially activated due to the situation and the Harford County Information Hotline at 410-838-5800 has been activated for people trying to get in touch with family and loved ones.

 Four gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, trauma director Dr. Raymond Fang said. Some patients needed surgery, Fang said, with two in stable condition as of 2:39 p.m. and two "very seriously injured."

 One other victim is in serious condition at Christiana Hospital in Newark, Delaware.

 County Executive Barry Glassman said Gov. Larry Hogan has offered all available assistance. State troopers and federal agencies were part of the response. Glassman made reference to last year's fatal mass shooting at an Edgewood granite company.

 "Unfortunately, in today's world, we have active shooter drilling and drills, and I can tell our Harford County citizens that every agency performed at the top of their profession," Glassman said. "I am thankful to all the agencies that came out to help us today to get through this, which is becoming too often an occurrence in Harford County and also the country."

 A witness, Bo, who did not want to share his last name, described the scene.

 "We were like two blocks over when we got completely bombarded by -- I'm not exaggerating -- 20-30 cops, and then ambulances and everything started pouring in. At that point, they blocked us in and we tried to turn around," Bo said. "They're telling us that there is an active shooter."

 Alexi Scharmann told WBAL-TV 11 News her mother works inside the Liberty building at the distribution center. She said her mother texted her that there is a shooter inside the building.

 "Everybody there is so tight-knit. There's not that many people that work there. Everybody is so nice over there, that's why it's a shock," Scharmann said.

 While there is security and metal detectors in an adjacent building, Scharmann said the Liberty building where her mother works does not have the same safeguards.

 Scharmann said she heard from her mother in a text at 10:33 a.m., saying "I am outside and safe. I love you."

 Witnesses and survivors are being taken to a community center in Havre de Grace, Scharmann said.

 Bo, who said he lives on Aberdeen Proving Ground, said the area is wooded and has nearby schools.

 "This happened inside the warehouse (on Perryman Road)," Bo said. "They called a bunch of EMS and they told us they were carrying out another five victims."

 Bo said the response from police and paramedics was swift.

 "We didn't know what to do. They were coming in groups of 10. I am not joking, and they were running people off the road. There was even an accident and a head-on collision dead in front of us at a stoplight because they were literally throwing people off the road. They were going," Bo said.

 Church Creek Elementary School is on modified lockdown as a precaution.

 White Marsh Volunteer Fire Company said its paramedics are responding to the incident.

 Zenith Freight Services, Maines Paper and Food Service and TRUaire Registers and Grilles share the large building with Rite Aid. The Clorox Company Warehouse is directly adjacent to the building the Rite Aid is in.

 The Perrywood Garden Apartments complex is across from the Rite Aid past Perryman Road on Spesutia Road. Officers were seen near those apartments along Mayberry Drive.

 Medic leaving area of shooting with multiple victims in business park in Aberdeen. Aberdeen police just told me shooter not apprehended, situation "fluid" pic.twitter.com/8FmRRA7WnE — Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) September 20, 2018

 We can confirm there was a shooting in the area of Spesutia Road and Perryman Road. Multiple victims. The situation is still fluid. Please avoid the area. Media staging area still TBD. — Harford Sheriff (@Harford_Sheriff) September 20, 2018

 People are being asked to avoid the area.

 Stay with WBAL NewsRadio 1090 AM for developments in this story.

 We are closely monitoring the horrific shooting in Aberdeen. Our prayers are with all those impacted, including our first responders. The State stands ready to offer any support. https://t.co/fzugpo8C1Z — Governor Larry Hogan (@GovLarryHogan) September 20, 2018

 The Associated Press contributed to this report. |||||

Write a summary.

– News that a shooting left multiple people dead may sound depressingly familiar, but the one outside Baltimore on Thursday is unique in at least one way: The shooter was female. Police say the 26-year-old woman, who has not been identified, died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Harford County Sheriff Jeff Gahler said she was a temporary employee at the Rite Aid distribution center where the shooting took place, reports the Baltimore Sun. Police say the suspect killed three people, and three others remain hospitalized with wounds not believed to be life threatening. Details and developments: When, where: The Rite Aid distribution center where the shooting took place is at a business complex in Perryman, about 30 miles from Baltimore, reports WBAL. Deputies got there at 9:06am, within 5 minutes of the first call, said the sheriff. He said that deputies fired no shots and that the shooter used a 9mm Glock semiautomatic handgun. Why: Police aren't speculating about a motive. “Normally, she was a nice person, but she came in in a bad mood,” Mike Carre, an employee at a nearby business, tells the Washington Post, recounting what Rite Aid workers told him. "She wanted to pick a fight," he said. "And then she started shooting.” CNN quotes a law enforcement official who describes her as a disgruntled employee; the site says she worked there as a security guard. The woman lived in Baltimore County, and the gun was legally registered to her.