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Neandertal ontogenies
Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 3:45 am
by Rokcet Scientist
It turns out that Neandertals matured faster than 'modern' humans, or i.o.w. HS has (had) a longer childhood than HN offspring.
http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2010/ ... f1a46a9db7
So how, if at all, did that affect HN's and HS' social developments and respective fates?
Re: Neandertal ontogenies
Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 9:52 am
by kbs2244
When the average human life span was a lot less than it is today and life in general was a lot more physical we would mate younger and mature faster.
In historical times 15 and 16 year olds getting married was not uncommon.
Re: Neandertal ontogenies
Posted: Mon Nov 22, 2010 11:36 am
by Rokcet Scientist
kbs2244 wrote:When the average human life span was a lot less than it is today and life in general was a lot more physical we would mate younger and mature faster.
So that would have given HN an evolutionary advantage over HS. Yet we're here, and they're not!
In historical times 15 and 16 year olds getting married was not uncommon.
That - and younger! - is still common among billions in Africa and Asia today, kb.