New research into the human brain exposes some long-held myths about how we learn.

It’s generally assumed that humans learn best in the first five years of life. After that, we find it increasingly difficult to absorb new information. And when we grow old, the brain begins to shut down. But it turns out that none of these bits of conventional wisdom is true. Revelations about how the brain learns are emerging from the still-young field of educational neuroscience. On this episode, we speak with Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath of the Melbourne Graduate School of Education at the University of Melbourne, Australia. His studies show that the brain is perfectly capable of learning new stuff throughout our lives, provided that we have the right mental attitude. That’s an especially valuable knack in the business world, where it’s crucial to keep learning new skills in order to stay relevant. “Every human being can learn every skill in the world,” Dr. Horvath says. Hosted by Bob Bowman, managing editor of SupplyChainBrain.

Look for a new episode of the podcast, which can be downloaded or streamed, every Friday on the SupplyChainBrain website and iTunes.

Show notes:

Dr. Horvath’s book, From the Laboratory to the Classroom: Translating Science of Learning for Teachers.