Teenagers are an alien species. Well, that’s not exactly the conclusion of Sarah-Jayne Blakemore’s research, but it’s a crude summary. Professor Blakemore, author of Inventing Ourselves: The Secret Life of the Teenage Brain, is a leading neuroscientist who studies the teenage brain. When humans enter adolescence their brains, as well as their bodies, go through a period of transformation. And, during this period their behaviour alters. They become more risk-taking for example, and more acutely conscious of how they’re perceived by others. Professor Blakemore even has an explanation for why they can’t get out of bed.

Presenter David Edmonds
Producer Ben Cooper

(Image: Parent and teenager, Credit: Shutterstock) Show less