History Main / GeniusSerum

* In Italian comic ''ComicBook/{{Zannablu}} and the Intelligence Serum'', the protagonist -- a {{Ditz}} from a village of equally ditzy people -- [[AccidentalDiscovery accidentally]] creates an intelligence-enhancing potion when he tries (and fails) to make tea. Since the potion [[NoPlansNoPrototypeNoBackup cannot be remade]], this causes a split in the town -- should the potion be shared equally, making everyone only slightly smarter, or should it be used to make a few select people into geniuses?

* The Diadem of Ravenclaw from ''Franchise/HarryPotter'' is supposed to enhance its wearer's creativity and intelligence, as per its creator's favored traits. Would have been a big help to the heroes had [[spoiler: Voldemort not stolen it first and turned it into a [[SoulJar Horcrux]], necessitating its destruction.]] This is why we can't have nice things people.

* A version is used by the protagonist in ''Literature/{{Twig}}''. In low doses, Wyvern increases brain plasticity and liquidity, making it an oft-used study drug and nootropic. In higher doses, Wyvern allows the user to retrain their brain to learn and retain certain qualities at the cost of others.
* Literature/WhateleyUniverse: WellIntentionedExtremist supervillain Dr. Diabolik does a brisk black market business in nootropics, most notably Solon-3, Solon-5, and [[ShoutOut THX-1138]]. He even went so far as to dose the water supply of Biloxi, MI with the latter, noting that classroom test results in the area improved by 11%.
** In the story titled [[https://whateley.academy/index.php/story/evil-genius-part-1 'Evil Genius']], the protagonist had been dosed with THX-1157 (a street drug often called either Vulcan or Evil Genius), which was intended as a nootropic but had the unfortunate side effect of [[PsychoSerum temporary psychopathy]]. Dr. Diabolik is actively trying to track down those who leaked the failed formula.
* In ''Literature/{{Xenocide}}'' it becomes a major concern of the piqueino species that their intelligence is simply the byproduct of the descoloda virus infecting their world. This especially when the human scientists figure out a way to make a non-lethal version of the virus that would allow the piqueinos to safely leave their potentially doomed planet. [[MeaningfulName Human]] demands his friends remove the virus from his body, suffering in agony as its loss begins to kill him, but crucially remaining lucid and intelligent all the way to his end, proving the pequeinos are a sapient species in their own right.

* ''Myth/NorseMythology'' had Mimir's Well, which grants knowledge and wisdom to anyone who drinks from it, but at a price. Incidentally, this is why Odin is always depicted with one eye. While the required sacrifice is sometimes omitted, pretty much every depiction of the Well in media tends to retain the intelligence enhancing qualities of its waters.
* ''Myth/CelticMythology'' has the myth of the Salmon of Wisdom, a pond where salmon live with a magical tree that bears wisdom granting hazelnuts. Sometimes heroes can quest to this pond and either eat a nut before the salmon do, or eat the salmon themselves to gain near prophetic intelligence.

* ''[[VideoGame/{{Elvira}} Elvira II: Jaws of Cerebus]]'' had an intelligence enhancement spell the player could cast on themselves. The in game effect was that any spells the player mixed while under the Brain Boost's influence were themselves rendered more potent or generated more charges to use. Brain Boost itself could only get the latter, preventing it from being enhanced.
* In the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' games, the drug Mentats (yes, [[ShoutOut named after]] the human supercomputers from ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentos the mint candy]]) temporarily increases the user's Intelligence and Perception stats by +2 and their Charisma by +1.

[[folder:Web Original]]

* This is the main plot in ''Film/{{Limitless}}'', where a normal guy is provided with PhlebotinumPills that develop more brain cognition which makes the person who take the pills more intelligent. These pills makes this guy go to the top of the world, but there he has to struggle with more people who want the pills and trying to hang on with his few doses. The film was so successful that a SequelSeries [[Series/{{Limitless}} was made later]].

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'': In "[[Recap/SpongeBobSquarePantsS4E8PatrickSmartPantsSquidBobTentaclePants Patrick Smartpants]]", Patrick becomes an InsufferableGenius from attaching brain coral to his body instead of his head, drawing the annoyance of everyone around him. Miserable from his newfound intelligence, Patrick tries to figure out how he turned so smart and rebuild his friendship with Spongebob.

* The IQ Capsule from ''VideoGame/{{Earthbound}}'' raises the IQ points of the character it is used on. At certain IQ levels, Jeff can repair broken gadgets into machines and weapons he can use.

* In the ''VideoGame/{{Fallout}}'' games, the drug Mentats (yes, [[ShoutOut named after the human supercomputers from Dune]] and [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mentos the mint candy]]) temporarily increases the user's Intelligence and Perception stats by +2 and their Charisma by +1.

* The ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "Spock's Brain" has a NeuralImplanting device called "[[Recap/StarTrekS3E1SpocksBrain The Teacher]]". It's a pimped-out crash helmet that can raise the intelligence of a {{Stripperific}} bimbo to where she can conduct OrganTheft aboard the Enterprise undetected. The heroes use to this device on Doctor [=McCoy=] so that he can reattach Spock's brain to the rest of Spock, but the effect wears off during the surgery.

-->-- '''Mentat Pieter [=DeViers=]''', ''[[Film/Dune1984 Dune]]''

* In one ''ComicStrip/{{Popeye}}'' story from the late 1960s or early 1970s, the professor feeds Swee'Pea a special soup that turns him into a ChildProdigy. Swee'Pea builds a giant robot, but demands more soup after being asked what the robot does. After Popeye destroys the robot, the soup's effect wears off and Swee'Pea is no longer a genius.
* One issue of the Bongo adaptation of The Simpsons had Kang and Kodos plotting a takeover of Earth by using food that spliced humans with their DNA. The effects rendered people geniuses before gradually mutating them into the same species. They were defeated when it was realized that [[NutritionalNightmare Krusty Burger]] had the opposite effect, and they were transformed into humanoids dumb enough to be forced into fast food work. The issue ended with a twist that this was plan of a bunch of aliens that resembled Krusty the clown to conquer humanity.

* The ''Series/DoctorWho'' episode "School Reunion" has the Doctor, Rose and Sarah-Jane investigating a school where the students have suddenly become geniuses, and discover it's all down to aliens taking over and using a special oil in the cafeteria, in order to use the children to solve a complex physics problem that would let them control the universe.

* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000:'' In ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S12E01MacAndMe Mac and Me]]'', Kinga Forrester invents an intelligence-boosting drug named Algernon, appropriately enough. The clone Synthia, who up to this point has behaved like a zombie or malfunctioning robot, is the first test subject, and it actually does make her genius. In fact, it makes her smart enough to realize [[SideEffectsInclude the litany of horrible side effects]] from Algernon, and that she'd be better off not taking any more. Synthia goes cold turkey and drops down to average intelligence, which is still an improvement for her.

* ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'' episode "Spock's Brain" has a NeuralImplanting device called "The Teacher." It's a pimped-out crash helmet that can raise the intelligence of a {{Stripperific}} bimbo to where she can conduct OrganTheft aboard the Enterprise undetected. The heroes use to this device on Doctor [=McCoy=] so that he can reattach Spock's brain to the rest of Spock, but the effect wears off during the surgery.
* ''Series/TheSuiteLifeOnDeck'': Plays With this idea. For a school project, Bailey decides to test out the Placebo Effect on [[BookDumb London]] and gives her a perfume that London thinks contains "smarticle particles". While using the perfume, London starts to perform better in school and have more confidence in herself academically. Bailey eventually admits to her that the perfume wasn't helping her and that she did it all on her own, but once she knows that she wasn't magically being made smarter, London returned to her normal lack-of-intelligence.
* An episode of ''{{Series/BigWolfOnCampus}}'' has Merton invent a serum that'll increase his intelligence that's stolen and drunk by the local bonehead bullies. They become smart enough to conceive a trap for the Pleasantville Werewolf, and nearly succeed.

* In ''Webcomic/ThePetriDish'':
** Thaddeus gives the squirrels some pills that make them as smart as humans. The squirrels then use their newfound intelligence to learn English and [[CivilisedAnimal make a civilisation]]. They also end up giving some of the intelligence pills to a bear, who becomes a lawyer.
** Thaddeus also has some intelligence-enhancing spray that hurts if people are being wilfully stupid.

* One of ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfRockyAndBullwinkle'' involved finding the Kirwood Derby[[note]] a wordplay on television announcer Durward Kirby[[/note]], a hat that made its wearer the smartest fellow on Earth. IdiotHero Bullwinkle Moose finds it, and discovers that it does indeed make him much smarter, but it also makes his minuscule brain overheat. The moon men Gidney and Cloyd reclaim the chapeau, as it was made for their ruling prince, who's otherwise a clueless goofball like Bullwinkle.
* ''WesternAnimation/AdventureTime'': In "The Real You", Finn wants to impress Princess Bubblegum at her Science Barbecue, so after traditional learning methods fail he resorts to bargaining with Choose Goose for "the Glasses of Nerdicon", a pair of glasses that make Finn super-intelligent.

* ''WesternAnimation/SpongebobSquarepants'': In "[[Recap/SpongebobSquarepantsS4E68PatrickSmartPantsSquidBobTentaclePants Patrick Smartpants]]", Patrick becomes an InsufferableGenius from attaching brain coral to his body instead of his head, drawing the annoyance of everyone around him. Miserable from his newfound intelligence, Patrick tries to figure out how he turned so smart and rebuild his friendship with Spongebob.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' had an episode that saw the title character use a helmet[[note]]initially introduced in an early series episode to make Jimmy himself TakeALevelInDumbass before ReversingThePolarity in the later episode[[/note]] to this effect to make Sheen... less Sheen-like. Unfortunately, the enhanced intelligence seemed to sap Sheen's sense of ethics and he went all EvilOverlord on his friends.

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' saw the title character make a helmet to this effect to make Sheen... less Sheen-like. Unfortunately, the enhanced intelligence seemed to sap Sheen's sense of ethics and he went all EvilOverlord on his friends.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/PacManAndTheGhostlyAdventures'' episode "That Smarts!", Pac ingests a berry that increases his intellect (and turns him into a stereotypical nerd, which Cyli finds cute to square off against Dr. Buttocks in his giant robot. Pac almost wins until the berry wears off and is at a loss for what to do, until he decides that he does not have to be smart in order to save the day and manages to defeat Buttocks in his own way.

* ''Animation/HappyHeroes'': In Season 6 episode 34, being bitten by a Guling lizard causes Big M. to revert to his once-smart self from before he was hit by elevator doors and became his eviler, uglier self, and thus gives him more competence to actually capture the supermen. [[spoiler:Later on, Big M. starts to turn into a lizard himself from the lizard on his head.]]

* ''WesternAnimation/TheAdventuresOfJimmyNeutronBoyGenius'' saw the title character make a ray to this effect to make Sheen... less Sheen-like. Unfortunately, the enhanced intelligence seemed to sap Sheen's sense of ethics and he went all EvilOverlord on his friends.

** In "[[Recap/FuturamaS1E11MarsUniversity Mars University]]", the Professor invents a hat designed to give genius intellect to a monkey named Guenter. After several BreakTheHaughty moments, Guenter snaps and runs away, stating he was miserable as a genius and hates being dumb when he's a regular monkey. When the hat gets damaged, it gives him moderate intellect, which he's okay with.

* Sapho Juice from ''Literature/{{Dune}}'' allows specially-trained individuals known as ''Mentats'' to think at superhuman levels. As artificial intelligences have been banned for a long time, these people are often used as human computers and given Sapho for the more complicated bits. It's noted for eventually leaving permanent stains on the lips of those who drink it often, marking them as veteran Mentats and thus some of the sharpest intellects in the galaxy.

* ''Myth/CelticMythology'' has the myth of the Salmon of Wisdom, a pond where salmon love with a magical tree that bears wisdom granting hazelnuts. Sometimes heroes can quest to this pond and either eat a nut before the salmon do, or eat the salmon themselves to gain near prophetic intelligence.

* A very early issue of ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'' had [[TagalongKid Tails]] eat a fruit from Rotor's Tree of Knowledge, instantly gaining a mega-genius intellect. It lasted long enough for him to get a swollen ego and try to take on Robotnik himself. According to Creator/IanFlynn, however, while the boost in knowledge was temporary, the fruit did permanently unlock Tails's own enhanced intelligence, explaining his at the time rather childish depiction suddenly falling into line with the technical genius he was depicted in in the games.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}''

This is a form of AppliedPhlebotinum which gives a character SuperIntelligence by being exposed to it. It could be a [[SuperSerum literal serum]], [[PhlebotinumPills pills]], some kind of device, or even [[TouchedByVorlons outright supernatural]]. Often involves LegoGenetics, or implications that the character is becoming [[EvolutionaryLevels "more evolved"]] through their increased intelligence. In some cases, the character may become not just smarter, but [[BrainCriticalMass psychic as well]]. It may or may not be permanent; if the effects ''are'' temporary, overlap with FlowersForAlgernonSyndrome is possible.

* ''Film/{{Lucy}}'' runs with the premise that [[NinetyPercentOfYourBrain "unlocking" more percent of your brain]] will increase your cognitive skills to superhuman levels. One achieves this by ingesting [=CPH4=], a FantasticDrug which the main character was forced to smuggle by a Korean gangster. Lucy soon acquires CombatClairvoyance, has perfect memory, takes stock of literally all human knowledge in the world, and ultimately [[spoiler:AscendsToAHigherPlaneOfExistence]].

* The Crown of Knowledge from the episode of the same name in ''WesternAnimation/SheRaPrincessOfPower'' is supposed to give its wearer an enhanced intellect. An apprentice butcher kidnaps [[KnowNothingKnowItAll Kowl]] to guide him to it because Kowl knows the story of the crown, hoping to escape what he feels is a humdrum life. The Crown is ultimately lost before it can be tested when the pursuing Horde cheat their way past the logic puzzles protecting the artifact's location and cause a cave in.

-->-- '''Mentat Pieter [=DeViers=]''', ''Literature/{{Dune}}''

* A VERY early issue of ''ComicBook/ArchieComicsSonicTheHedgehog'' had [[TagalongKid Tails]] eat a fruit from Rotor's Tree of Knowledge, instantly gaining a mega-genius intellect. It lasted long enough for him to get a swollen ego and try to take on Robotnik himself. According to WordOfGod, however, while the boost in knowledge was temporary, the fruit did permanently unlock Tails's own enhanced intelligence, explaining his at the time rather childish depiction suddenly falling into line with the technical genius he was depicted in in the games.

* In the ''WesternAnimation/PacManAndTheGhostlyAdventures'' episode "That Smarts!", Pac ingests a berry that increases his intellect (and turns him into a stereotypical nerd, which Cyli finds {{Adorkable}}) to square off against Dr. Buttocks in his giant robot. Pac almost wins until the berry wears off and is at a loss for what to do, until he decides that he does not have to be smart in order to save the day and manages to defeat Buttocks in his own way.

* ''Series/MysteryScienceTheater3000:'' In ''[[Recap/MysteryScienceTheater3000S12E01MacAndMe Mac and Me]]'', Kinga Forrester invents an intelligence-boosting drug named Alternon, appropriately enough. The clone Synthia, who up to this point has behaved like a zombie or malfunctioning robot, is the first test subject, and it actually does make her genius. In fact, it makes her smart enough to realize [[SideEffectsInclude the litany of horrible side effects]] from Algernon, and that she'd be better off not taking any more. Synthia goes cold turkey and drops down to average intelligence, which is still an improvement for her.