What’s the smartest age? - Shannon Odell

翻译人员: Yanyan Hong 校对人员: Gia Hwang

What is the smartest age?

哪个年龄的人最聪明？

Perhaps a day of friendly competition will lead us to the answer.

也许参加一天的友谊竞赛 会带给我答案。

Tomorrow’s the annual Brain Clash—

明天是一年一度的头脑争霸赛——

ten teams of two competing in a decathlon of mental challenges,

十个两人一组的团队 将在由智力挑战、

trivia competitions, and puzzles.

知识问答和谜题组成的 十项全能竞赛中角逐。

I’ve been training all year.

我为此准备了一年，

I’ll need to pick the smartest, most capable teammate.

需要选择最聪明、 最有能力的队友,

I’ve narrowed down the roster.

并列出几个可能的人选。

First we have Gabriela.

首先，是加芙列拉，

She may only be 8, but don’t underestimate her!

只有八岁，但别低估了她！

She’s fluent in two languages and is the ultimate outside-the-box thinker.

她能流利地说两种语言， 而且还是一个极具创造力的人。

Then there’s Ama.

其次，是埃玛，

She can recite 100 digits of pi, designs satellites for a living,

她能背诵圆周率前 100 位， 以设计卫星为生，

and bakes a perfect soufflé.

并擅长烘烤完美的蛋奶酥。

Or I could go with Mr. Taylor.

或者我可以选择泰勒先生，

He’s the best chess player in the neighborhood,

他是邻里中最好的棋手，

not to mention he’s competed in over 20 Brain Clashes

更不用说他还参加过 二十多届头脑争霸赛，

and is a five-time champion!

而且五次夺冠！

I’m not sure who to pick! Who’s the smartest?

我不确定选谁！ 谁才是最聪明的？

Which of these teammates should Amir choose for tomorrow's contest and why?

阿米尔应该在明天的比赛中 选谁做队友、为何选这个人呢？

Of course, it depends.

当然，这视情况而定。

While intelligence is often associated with things like IQ tests,

虽然智力通常会和 IQ 测试挂钩，

these assessments fail to capture the scope and depth

但这些测试通常会忽略

of a person’s varied abilities.

一个人各种能力的范围以及深度。

So instead, we’ll break down the idea of “smart” into categories

因此，我们将把“聪明”的概念分为

like creativity, memory, and learning

创造力，记忆力和学习能力等类别，

and explore when the brain’s best at each of them.

并探索大脑什么时候 最擅长其中的每一项。

Let's start at the very beginning.

让我们从头开始，

In the first few years of life,

在生命中头几年，

your brain undergoes incredible rapid growth, called synaptogenesis,

你的大脑迅速成长，称为突触发生，

where more than 1 million new neural connections are formed every second.

每秒形成超过100 万个 新的神经连接。

As the brain develops, it goes through a pruning process.

随着大脑发育，它会经历修整过程，

Based on your experience and environment,

基于你的经历和所处环境，

used connections are strengthened and unused connections are removed.

使用的连接将得到加强， 未使用的连接将被删除。

Frequently used neuronal pathways are myelinated,

经常使用的神经通路有髓鞘，

wrapped in a layer of insulation, allowing information to travel faster.

包裹在一层绝缘层中， 使信息传播更快，

This creates a more efficient, fine-tuned brain.

这创造了一个更高效、精良的大脑。

But this brain remodeling happens within and between brain regions

但这种大脑重塑在不同的时间 发生在脑区内部和之间，

at different times,

使不同的技能

allowing different skills to flourish at different ages.

在不同的年龄段得到发展。

For example, in childhood, brain regions involved in language learning

比如说，在孩童时期， 大脑参与语言学习的部分

develop quickly,

发育特别迅速，

which is why many children can learn and master multiple languages.

这也就是为什么很多孩子 能够学会并掌握多种语言。

Yet the prefrontal cortex,

然而，前额叶皮层，

a brain region responsible for cognitive control and inhibition,

大脑负责认知控制和抑制的一个部分

is slower to develop.

发育缓慢，

As a result, some young children may struggle with strategic games,

因此，许多小孩可能 不擅长策略性游戏，

such as chess or checkers,

比如下象棋或跳棋，

which require constant concentration, planning, and abstract thought.

这需要持续的专注力、 计划和抽象思维。

At the same time, children tend to be more flexible, exploration-based learners.

同时，孩子们倾向于自由、 探索性的学习，

They often use more creative approaches when finding solutions to riddles

他们用更富想象力的方法解谜题，

and are, on average, less afraid to make mistakes.

而且大部分很少怕犯错。

But adults have their own unique set of abilities.

但成年人有他们独特的能力，

Adults benefit from a well-developed prefrontal cortex,

成年人得益于发达的前额叶皮层，

allowing them to better execute skills that require learning, focus, and memory,

让他们能够更好地去执行 需要学习、专注和记忆的技能，

making them quick and efficient puzzle solvers or crossword masters.

他们能够更快且高效地 解决谜题或完成填字游戏。

Late in adulthood, these same skills may decline

成年后期，随着大脑的 记忆中心海马体的萎缩，

as the brain’s memory center, known as the hippocampus, shrinks.

这些技能可能会下降。

But there’s a reason for the phrase “older and wiser.”

但我们常说 “越老越智慧” 是有据可循的，

After a lifetime of learning,

历经一生的学习，

older adults have more knowledge to recall and utilize,

年长者有更多知识可以回顾并使用，

making them excellent trivia partners.

使他们在知识问答中更具优势。

Other factors that Amir should consider are his own strengths.

阿米尔应该考虑的其他因素 包括他自己的优势，

As an adolescent, the prefrontal cortical regions of your brain are more developed

作为青少年，大脑前额叶皮质区域

than in childhood.

比儿时更加发达，

This allows you to better navigate logic and math puzzles.

这也使得你能更具逻辑、 更擅长解决数学谜题。

Simultaneously, deep inside the brain,

同时，在大脑深处，

regions that are important in motivation and reward are developing even faster,

对激励和奖励起重要 作用的区域迅速发育，

driving teenagers like Amir to be curious and adventurous learners.

促使像阿米尔这样的青少年 成为好奇、富有冒险精神的学习者。

In many ways, you can think of the teenager as a jack-of-all-trades,

在很多方面，你可以认为 青少年是一个多面手，

with brains wired to seek out new experiences and learn quickly.

他们的大脑敢于寻求 新的体验并迅速学习。

You’re at a dynamic stage,

你正处于一个动态的阶段，

where the choices you make and the skills you focus on

你所做的选择和你所关注的技能

can actually guide the development of your brain.

实际上可以指导你大脑的发展。

So, what’s the smartest age?

那么，哪个年龄段的人最聪明呢？

There’s no single answer.

没有唯一的答案。

It’s 8, 16, 25, 65, and everything in between;

可以是 8 岁、16 岁、25 岁、 65 岁， 以及中间的任意年龄；

our brains have adapted to prioritize different skills at various ages

我们大脑在人生不同阶段 关注发展不同的技能，

to meet that stage of life’s challenges and demands.

以应对生活中相应的挑战和需求。

So no matter who Amir picks, having an age-diverse team is a good strategy.

所以不管阿米尔选择谁， 拥有一个跨年龄段的团队才是好策略。