“Nuclear Grade Level Of Glow-Up”: 67 Stunning Transformations That Made People Happier

The newest research used scans of people's brains from ages 0 to 90 and found that one of the key periods of brain development occurs between nine and 32 years. They called it "brain adolescence." During that time, our brains build blocks of related thoughts and the neural pathways between them, and that construction stabilizes around our early 30s.

That doesn't mean that there's a magic switch and the brain stops developing at 32. Instead of building the connections between blocks, the brain starts focusing on strengthening the established neural pathways. You need to make a deliberate effort if you want to learn something new or rewire your brain.

Maybe brain adulthood has something to do with why we feel happiest after we enter our 30s? Developmental psychologist Clare Mehta, who coined the term "established adulthood" with her colleagues, writes that while people in their 30s face stress from work and family, those things also bring them joy. We also feel more confident and know ourselves better than we did in our 20s.

Do you wish you could be 25 again, Pandas? Which years of your life would you say were the very best? Let us know your thoughts in the comments! And while you're here, be sure to check out some inspiring post-divorce transformationsand wholesome then-and-now photos that prove bonds only get stronger with time.