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> having grandparents that are in good health and helping find food or care for children Maybe, certainly since the advent of nuclear families. But our much lo
by caeril 5y ago
> having grandparents that are in good health and helping find food or care for children
Maybe, certainly since the advent of nuclear families. But our much longer genetic lineage selects around tribes, such that direct grandparents' longevity may not be as critically important. Third-and-fourth cousins likely easily filled this role.
- wahern 5y ago> our much longer genetic lineage selects around tribes Out of curiosity, do you have any citations regarding prevalence of exogamy vs endogamy in tribal societies?
- wongarsu 5y agoIf your great-great-grandfather has a random genetic mutation, he can pass that down to both you and your third cousin. If that mutation helps your third cousin help you bring children to the world, you have a selective advantage. Of course that chain grows exponentially less likely the further you are from each other on the family tree, as the gene has to spread far enough by pure chance.