The age of invention: patents show differences between younger and older inventors (Brandeis NOW)

Brandeis NOW: The age of invention: patents show differences between younger and older inventors. “The study… examined more than 3 million U.S. patents filed from 1976 to 2000 to identify certain attributes, and then analyzed them based on the age of the filers. The research found older inventors are more likely to rely on their knowledge and experience, and build on novel applications of past inventions – what psychologists call crystallized intelligence – to develop a patent. Younger inventors are more likely to submit patents that are forward-looking and rely on abstract reasoning and novel problem-solving – all traits of fluid intelligence.”