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What sex ed doesn’t tell you about your brain - Shannon Odell

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TEDEd Animation

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While we often talk about puberty’s effect on the body, what gets overlooked are the fascinating changes that happen in the brain. Puberty, in fact, begins in the brain, and lasts as long as five years. And during this extended process, the brain undergoes its own transformation, thanks to estrogen and testosterone. Shannon Odell details what we know— and still don’t know— about puberty.

Social engagement and exploration are important to teens and adolescents. Explain why that’s the case from a scientific perspective.

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About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Shannon Odell
  • Director Biljana Labović
  • Narrator Alexandra Panzer, Adrian Dannatt
  • Storyboard Artist Wing Luo
  • Animation Supervisor Amarello Rodrigues
  • Lead Animator Murilo Jardim, Marina Veremeienko
  • Art Director Nuri Keli, Vitalii Nebelskyi
  • Illustrator Marina Veremeienko
  • Sound Designer Weston Fonger
  • Composer Weston Fonger
  • Director of Production Gerta Xhelo
  • Producer Alexandra Zubak
  • Associate Producer Abdallah Ewis
  • Editorial Director Alex Rosenthal
  • Editorial Producer Shannon Odell
  • Science Consultant Jane Mendle , Cheryl L. Sisk

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