In 2000 the BBC embarked on a groundbreaking project to follow the lives of 25 babies from across the UK. At 16, these children of our time are almost fully grown. They are now free to live by themselves, get married, pay taxes and even have children of their own. In this episode Professor Robert Winston and Professor Tanya Byron discover how our teenagers’ changing brains means that what they choose to do at 16, can shape their lives forever. Tanya invites fun-loving Matt to take part in a MRI scan to investigate what might be at the root of his new-found thrill-seeking. Megan enjoys her newfound independence, and we meet Charlie in the throes of first love. Eve shares a life-changing revelation, and Jamie explains the shocking events that caused him to re-evaluate his priorities. Megan’s high-spirited birthday party reveals the influence of peer groups, while Rhianna’s close friendships show the importance of teenage tribes. In Scotland, twins Alex and Ivo’s busy brains shed light on the critical biological changes happening to all our teens. With surprising new research in human biology and neuroscience, we reveal how the most baffling aspects of teenage life can be explained and illuminated by the latest understanding of the changing teenage brain. The brains of our 16 year-olds are wired to feel more self-conscious, to be more mentally creative, and to feel more intense pleasure, than at any other time in their lives. Through intimate stories, compelling archive and experiments Child Of Our Time brings you the inside story of today’s 16 year-olds. Child Of Our Time was produced in partnership with The Open University.

In this episode Professor Robert Winston and Professor Tanya Byron follow our teens through their GCSE year to discover how our teenagers are being shaped by these unique times. In Scotland, Nathan shares how it feels growing up in an unconventional family - attitudes to his father’s homosexuality have transformed in his lifetime. More open, available communication is having a huge impact on the lives of all of today’s teenagers. In a bold experiment Child Of Our Time teens gave us access to their digital lives – giving a 24/7 window into their phone use. The triplets Alice, Mabel and Phoebe were some of our highest social media users, with messages from friends every two minutes. Tanya explores what impact this sociable multi-tasking has on concentration, social skills and risk taking in the real world. In Essex, Taliesin reveals what impact his online gaming habit is having on his friendships and his sleep, while Rebecca shows us why friends are so critical during testing times. As the exams approach, Het is finding her own strategies to manage exam stress and Ivo is already planning his future – many miles away from his identical twin Alex. As our teens reach this landmark age we explore how they cope with the challenges of life, to build their dreams for the future. Through intimate stories, compelling archive and experiments Child Of Our Time brings you the inside story of today’s 16 year olds.