Image: Courtesy io9.We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Late bloomers have it all over those burn-bright-flame-out phenoms. Now, according to a fresh take on intelligence and age, we're getting even more concrete proof that your best years may be ahead of you.
As we discovered on io9, a new study by the National Bureau of Economics Research found that successful scientists and inventors generally peak in their late 30s. Genius, such as we know it, is more likely to come with maturity in at least those fields.
Now, io9 warns us to take the news "with a bit of salt," which we will. Nonetheless, for people past their 20s and still not quite in their professional prime (ahem) it's an edifying shot to the arm.
"But, oh," you say, "I'm not a scientist". No worries. The Atlantic has done a very good job of unpacking the findings and applying them to the creative and professional fields in this article. Basically, the takeaway is this: If you're coming up on the big four-oh and you still haven't had your breakthrough moment, keep plugging away. There's a lot that goes into changing your life and your field, and you just might not be done cooking yet. (io9)