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New research now suggests that our brains are still in the teenage phase until we “peak” in our early thirties. Researchers from the University of Cambridge looked at scans from around 4,000 people up to the age of 90 to reveal the connections between their brain cells. Rather than progressing steadily over our lifetimes, research published in the journal Nature Communications suggests our brain goes through five distinct phases in life, with key turning points happening at ages nine, 32, 66, and 83. The first stage, from birth to nine, sees the brain rapidly increasing in size. Around age nine, the adolescent phase begins as the brain works on increasing its efficiency. This is the stage when there is the greatest risk of mental health disorders beginning. Many neurodevelopmental, mental health, and neurological conditions are linked to the way the brain is wired, said senior author Dr. Duncan Astle, professor of neuroinformatics at Cambridge. Indeed, differences in brain wiring predict difficulties with attention, language, memory, and a whole host of different behaviours. The most surprising takeaway from the study is that the adolescent phase lasts far longer than expected. Based on how the brain forms connections, this phase lasts until roughly age 32. That means that while youre trying to get your act together in your 20s, your brain is pretty much still a teenager. (Important to note is this distinction is based on the brains efficiency at making connections, not a sign of arrested development or an excuse to act like a manchild). At 32, the biggest shift kicks in. The brain hits a period of peak efficiency, meaning regions of the brain are using the most direct pathways to communicate. This marks the transition into adulthood, which is the longest and most stable stretch of brain development. Studies have shown that personality and intelligence also stabilize during this time. Despite headlines about college drop-out entrepreneurs, the average age for successful entrepreneurs sits squarely in this developmental stageat 45 years old. Approaching the age of retirement, at age 66 a third turning point marks the start of an early aging phase. Here, the pace of neural network changes in the brain starts to slow as white matter begins to decline. Finally, at around 83 years old the late aging brain takes shape. Brain connectivity between different regions declines further, and people tend to fall back on certain well-trodden neural pathways and regions. Looking back, many of us feel our lives have been characterised by different phases. It turns out that brains also go through these eras, said Astle, who was a senior author of the research. Understanding that the brains structural journey is not a question of steady progression, but rather one of a few major turning points, will help us identify when and how its wiring is vulnerable to disruption.
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E-Commerce
If you feel like you spent more time sitting in traffic this year than last, youre not alone. Across the United States, drivers lost 49 hours to traffic congestion in 2025, a six-hour increase from the year prior, according to a new report from transportation analytics company INRIX. From Chicago to Philadelphia and Boston to Tampa, congestion increased in 254 of the 290 cities INRIX analyzed. But in New York, a city practically synonymous with gridlock, congestion stayed flat. Start spreading the news INRIX says the anomaly is likely due to congestion pricing, a program that charges drivers tolls when they enter certain, often gridlocked, areas of Manhattan. New Yorks congestion pricing program went into effect January 5. Just one month later, a million fewer vehicles entered the congestion zone than they would have without the toll, according to the citys Metropolitan Transportation Authority. That mitigation effort likely contributed to New York losing its top spot on NRIXs 2025 Global Traffic Scorecard. This year, New York City ranked as the second most congested U.S. city, down from number one in 2024. In 2024, five New York City roads made INRIXs top 25 busiest corridors list. In 2025, just one remained: a section of I-278, also called the Brooklyn Queens Expressway (which is not in the citys congestion pricing zone). Delays increased across the country New York is still heavily congested: Drivers there lost 102 hours of the year to congestion. But while delays there stayed stagnant, in other cities, traffic surged. Out of INRIXs 25 top urban areas for traffic, 13 saw double-digit percentage increases when it came to delays. Chicago, which beat out New York to become the top U.S. city for traffic, saw drivers lose 112 hours lost to congestion, a 10% increase from 2024. Delays increased 13% year over year in Atlanta, Georgia; 18% in Austin, Texas, and 31% for both Baltimore and Philadelphia. window.addEventListener("message",function(a){if(void 0!==a.data["datawrapper-height"]){var e=document.querySelectorAll("iframe");for(var t in a.data["datawrapper-height"])for(var r,i=0;r=e[i];i++)if(r.contentWindow===a.source){var d=a.data["datawrapper-height"][t]+"px";r.style.height=d}}}); INRIX did notice one positive trend when it comes to U.S. driving patterns: After increasing for four years in a row, traffic fatalities declined. In the first half of 2025, there were just over 17,000 on U.S. roadways, similar to 2019 levels. (First half of the year fatalities were around 20,000 in 2021 and 2022.) Why is traffic so bad? A lot of factors go into traffic. For instance, after millions of Americans shifted to working from home during the pandemic, many have since shifted back. Now just 13% of people work from home. More than three-fourths of city dwellers commute by car; only 4% take public transit. In cities across the country, public transit options are often inadequate for commuters needs. Compared to cities around the world, which are investing in rail, America is behind, even as it deals with outdated infrastructure, including bridges and highways. When these upgrades are pushed back, delays increase. Housing is another issue that can affect how long a driver spends sitting in their car. In the least affordable cities, residents have to decide between longer commutes or higher rents, INRIX says. Traffic costs drivers time, and money For drivers, traffic is more than just an annoyance. Time is money, and INRIX calculates that the typical 49 hours of delays across the U.S. means $894 worth of time lost per driver. Across the country, congestion cost the U.S. more than $85 billion in 2025, up 11.3% from 2024. Congestion pricing costs New York drivers too, in a more direct way, but it comes with other benefits. Halfway through the year, the citys congestion pricing program generated $216 million from tolls; officials aim to raise $500 million from the programs first full year. But in exchange for that money, New Yorkers got back some time they would have otherwise spent sitting in their carsas much as 21 minutes each way. And the city saw economic benefits, like increased pedestrian activity and time and cost savings for business deliveries.
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E-Commerce
Even before this years Spotify Wrapped dropped, I had a hunch what mine would reveal. Lo and behold, one of my most-listened-to songs was an obscure 2004 track titled Rusty Chevrolet by the Irish band Shanneyganock. I heard it first thanks to my son, whose friend had been singing it on the swings at school. My son found it utterly hilarious, and its been playing in our house nonstop ever since. Like parents all over the world, I rue how my sons musical tastes have hijacked my listening history. But Im also tickled to learn that our household is probably one of the few even listening to it. [Photo: Spotify] Spotify Wrapped is an annual campaign by the popular streaming music platform. Since 2015, the streaming service has been repackaging user dataspecifically, the listening history of Spotifys users over the past yearinto attractive, personalized slideshows featuring, among other data points, your top five songs, your total listening time, and even your listening personality. (Are you a Replayer, a Maverick or a Vampire?) As a consumer behavior researcher, Ive thought about why these lists get so much attention each year. I suspect that the success of Spotify Wrapped may have a lot to do with how the flashy, shareable graphics are connected to a couple of fundamentaland somewhat contradictoryhuman needs. [Image: Spotify] Individuality and belonging In 1991, social psychologist Marilynn Brewer introduced what she coined optimal distinctiveness theory. She argued that most people are torn between two human needs. On the one hand, theres the need for validation and similarity to others. On the other hand, people want to express their uniqueness and individuation. Thus, most of us are constantly striving for a balance between feeling connected to others while also maintaining a sense of our own distinct individuality. At Thanksgiving, for example, your need for connection is likely more than satisfied. In that moment, youre surrounded by family and friends who share a lot in common with you. In fact, it can feel so fulfilled that you may start craving the opposite: a way to assert your individuality. Maybe you choose to wear something that really reflects your personality, or you tell stories about interesting experiences youve had in the past year. In contrast, you may feel relatively isolated when you move to a new town and feel a stronger need for connection. You may wear the styles and brands you see your neighbors and co-workers wearing, pop into popular cafes and restaurants, or invite people over to your home in an effort to make new friends. [Image: Spotify] Have it your way When people buy things, they often make choices as a way to satisfy their needs for connection and individuality. Brands recognize this and usually try to entice consumers with at least one of these two elements. Its partly why Coca-Cola started releasing bottles featuring popular names on the labels as part of its Share a Coke campaign. The soft drink remains the same, but grabbing a Coke with your name on it can cultivate a sense of connection with everyone else who has it. And its why Apple offers custom, personalized engravings for products such as its AirPods and iPads. Spotify Wrapped works because it nails the balance between competing needs: the desire to belong and the desire to stand out. Seeing the overlap between your lists and those of your friends fosters a sense of connection, and seeing the differences is a signal of your (or your kids!) unique musical taste. It gives me a way to say, Sure, Ive been listening to Soda Pop nonstop like everyone else. But Im probably the only one playing ‘Rusty Chevrolet on repeat. The Wrapped campaign is also smart marketing. Spotify turns listeners unique, personal listening data into striking visuals that are tailor-made for posting to social media accounts. Its no wonder, then, that the Wrapped feature has led to impressive engagement: On TikTok, the hashtag #SpotifyWrapped garnered 73.7 billion views in 2023. The annual campaign has earned numerous honors, including a Cannes Lion and several Webby Awards, otherwise known as the Oscars of the Internet. Its been so successful that its inspired a wave of copycats: Apple Music, Reddit, Uber, and Duolingo now release similarly personalized year-in-reviews. None, however, has managed to achieve the same level of cultural impact as Spotify Wrapped. So whats on your list? And will you brag, hide or laugh at what it says about you? [Photo: Spotify] Ishani Banerji is a clinical assistant professor of marketing at Clemson University. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
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E-Commerce
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