When are you actually an adult? - Shannon Odell
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TEDEd Animation
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Most countries recognize 18 as the start of adulthood by granting various freedoms and privileges. Yet there’s no exact age or moment in development that we can point to as having reached full maturity. If there’s no consensus on exactly when we reach maturity, when do we actually become adults? Shannon Odell shares how scientists define adulthood using stages of brain development.
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Additional Resources for you to Explore
Under most laws, young people are recognized as adults at age 18. But emerging science about brain development suggests that most people don't reach full maturity until 25. To find out more, check out this NPR interview with Sandra Aamodt, neuroscientist, and co-author of the book Welcome to Your Child's Brain.
Emerging science signals that many of our conceptions of adulthood and maturity are wrong or ill-informed. For a broader overview of teen brain development, check out this lesson or this explainer video of the adolescent brain.
Finally, Frank Green explains why teens sometimes behave like a different species and how younger brains differ from their adult counterparts.
Emerging science signals that many of our conceptions of adulthood and maturity are wrong or ill-informed. For a broader overview of teen brain development, check out this lesson or this explainer video of the adolescent brain.
Finally, Frank Green explains why teens sometimes behave like a different species and how younger brains differ from their adult counterparts.
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Meet The Creators
- Educator
- Shannon Odell
- Director
- Biljana Labović
- Narrator
- Alexandra Panzer, Gen Parton-Shin, May Yoshioka
- Storyboard Artist
- Wing Luo
- Animation Supervisor
- Amarello Rodrigues, Henrique Barone
