Aging can seem like a scary prospect, but a wealth of scientific studies have found youth isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are plenty of cases in which human beings peak well into middle- and old-age.

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Teenagers, for instance, may have vitality on their side, but older people are generally more psychologically stable. And so it goes with a number of phenomena people experience as they age.

Many of the above points mark the middle of an age range that scientists have identified, which means they are all determined by averages. Some are also surveys, not controlled trials, so there is a possibility the self-reports don't capture the most accurate picture.

But in many cases, the numbers keep cropping up for a reason, which is that life isn't a downhill slide from youth. 

Here's what you have to look forward to.

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Meghan Bartels contributed to an earlier version of this article.

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