A business owner I know tends to only hire people in their twenties, under the assumption they bring new life into his business: new ideas, new innovations, new skills.

And he’s sometimes right, especially in the specific.

But in general? Science says his hiring approach is probably wrong.

In a review of studies published by the National Bureau of Economic Research, researchers found that the age at which scientists and inventors reach their moment of “genius” is increasing: while the average age used to be younger, the majority now make their biggest contributions to their field after the age of 40.

As the researchers write:

This research consistently finds that performance peaks in middle age: the life-cycle begins with a training period in which major creative output is absent, fol

See Full Page