Calling someone young or old depends on the group you compare them with, but you can place yourself against the whole world. The median age of the global population is around 30, meaning half of all people alive are younger and half older. Because birth rates have fallen across much of the world and people live longer, the age distribution has shifted upward over time. Countries differ enormously, with some having median ages in their teens and others over 45.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.