What is the smartest age? This is a question that may be answered through friendly competition. The annual Brain Clash, a decathlon of mental challenges, trivia competitions, and puzzles, is set to take place tomorrow. Ten teams of two will compete, and I have been training all year. The challenge now is to pick the smartest, most capable teammate from a roster of potential candidates.
First, there’s Gabriela. Despite being only 8 years old, she is not to be underestimated. Fluent in two languages, she is an ultimate outside-the-box thinker. Then there’s Ama, who can recite 100 digits of pi, designs satellites for a living, and bakes a perfect soufflé. Lastly, there’s Mr. Taylor, the neighborhood’s best chess player who has competed in over 20 Brain Clashes and is a five-time champion. The question remains: who’s the smartest? Which of these teammates should I choose for tomorrow’s contest and why?
Of course, the answer depends on how we define ‘smart’. While intelligence is often associated with things like IQ tests, these assessments fail to capture the scope and depth of a person’s varied abilities. So instead, we’ll break down the idea of “smart” into categories like creativity, memory, and learning and explore when the brain’s best at each of them.
In the first few years of life, the brain undergoes incredible rapid growth, called synaptogenesis, where more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second. As the brain develops, it goes through a pruning process. Based on your experience and environment, used connections are strengthened and unused connections are removed. This creates a more efficient, fine-tuned brain. However, this brain remodeling happens within and between brain regions at different times, allowing different skills to flourish at different ages.
For example, in childhood, brain regions involved in language learning develop quickly, which is why many children can learn and master multiple languages. Yet the prefrontal cortex, a brain region responsible for cognitive control and inhibition, is slower to develop. As a result, some young children may struggle with strategic games, such as chess or checkers, which require constant concentration, planning, and abstract thought. At the same time, children tend to be more flexible, exploration-based learners. They often use more creative approaches when finding solutions to riddles and are, on average, less afraid to make mistakes.
Adults, on the other hand, benefit from a well-developed prefrontal cortex, allowing them to better execute skills that require learning, focus, and memory, making them quick and efficient puzzle solvers or crossword masters. However, late in adulthood, these same skills may decline as the brain’s memory center, known as the hippocampus, shrinks. But there’s a reason for the phrase “older and wiser.” After a lifetime of learning, older adults have more knowledge to recall and utilize, making them excellent trivia partners.
Other factors to consider are the strengths of an adolescent like me. The prefrontal cortical regions of the brain are more developed in adolescence than in childhood. This allows for better navigation of logic and math puzzles. Simultaneously, deep inside the brain, regions that are important in motivation and reward are developing even faster, driving teenagers to be curious and adventurous learners. In many ways, teenagers can be considered jacks-of-all-trades, with brains wired to seek out new experiences and learn quickly. This dynamic stage allows the choices made and the skills focused on to guide the development of the brain.
So, what’s the smartest age? There’s no single answer. It’s 8, 16, 25, 65, and everything in between; our brains have adapted to prioritize different skills at various ages to meet that stage of life’s challenges and demands. So no matter who I pick, having an age-diverse team is a good strategy for the Brain Clash.
Create a timeline that shows the different stages of brain development from childhood to adulthood. Use markers and a large sheet of paper to illustrate key milestones such as synaptogenesis, pruning, and the development of the prefrontal cortex. This will help you visualize how the brain changes and grows at different ages.
Form small groups and debate which potential teammate (Gabriela, Ama, or Mr. Taylor) would be the best choice for the Brain Clash. Use the information from the article to support your arguments. This activity will help you understand the different strengths and skills that come with different ages.
Test your memory by trying to recite as many digits of pi as you can, just like Ama. Start with 10 digits and see how far you can go. This activity will help you appreciate the memory skills that can be developed at different ages.
Solve a series of riddles or puzzles that require creative thinking. Work in pairs or small groups to come up with outside-the-box solutions, similar to how Gabriela might approach a problem. This will help you understand the value of creative thinking in problem-solving.
Organize a trivia quiz covering various topics such as history, science, and general knowledge. Compete in teams and see who can answer the most questions correctly. This activity will help you recognize the broad knowledge base that can be accumulated over a lifetime, similar to Mr. Taylor’s expertise.
Intelligence – The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills. – She displayed her intelligence by solving the complex math problem easily.
Creativity – The use of imagination and original ideas to create something. – The artist’s creativity was evident in her unique and vibrant paintings.
Memory – The faculty by which the brain encodes, stores, and retrieves information. – His excellent memory allowed him to recall every detail of the conversation.
Learning – The acquisition of knowledge or skills through study, experience, or being taught. – The students showed great enthusiasm for learning new concepts in the science class.
Brain development – The process of growth and maturation of the brain, including the formation of neural connections. – Adequate nutrition during early childhood is crucial for optimal brain development.
Synaptogenesis – The formation of synapses between neurons in the brain. – Synaptogenesis plays a key role in the development of neural circuits during early brain development.
Pruning process – The elimination of unnecessary or unused synapses in the brain to optimize its functioning. – The pruning process in adolescence helps refine and strengthen neural connections in the brain.
Language learning – The process of acquiring new languages or improving proficiency in existing languages. – Immersion programs are effective in facilitating language learning in young children.
Creative thinking – The ability to generate unique ideas and think outside the box. – The company encourages employees to engage in creative thinking to come up with innovative solutions.
Focus – The ability to concentrate attention or effort on a specific task or goal. – She needed to improve her focus in order to finish the project on time.
