Children may understand complex scientific concepts from a significantly younger age that first thought, new research suggests.
Researchers, led by Deborah Kelemen, created a picture story book that explained the biological concept of natural selection through a fictional story. They then read the book to 61 kids aged between five and eight.
Children were given tests before and after hearing the story, which measured their comprehension of the theory taught by the book and their ability to generalise it to other species.
The study found children as young as five could understand the concept of natural selection well enough to apply what they had learned to other animals.
Read more at Boston University