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> "Stearns et al (2000) imposed a high mortality regime on one group of fruit flies, and observed that their experimental group lived a shorter life and a reduc

> "Stearns et al (2000) imposed a high mortality regime on one group of fruit flies, and observed that their experimental group lived a shorter life and a reduced age of sexual maturity." Humanity is currently experiencing a reduced age of sexual maturity: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menarche https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Menarche "In the last two centuries, the average age at first period has been falling continuously in France. In 1750 it is estimated to have been close to 16; by 1850 it was down to 15, and by 1950 it had fallen to 13. In 1994, it stood at 12.6 years of age." https://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/demographic-facts-sheets/focus-on/age_menstruation/ https://www.ined.fr/en/everything_about_population/demograph...

circlefavshape 3y ago
I hear this all the time, but the wikipedia article seems to say the evidence is pretty weak. Juliet was 13 when herself and Romeo got together
- bitwize 3y ago
  In India it used to be expected to be married and starting to have kids by age 12 or so. In the novel Nectar in a Sieve, main character Rukmani is worried that her daughter will be an old maid forever when she remains unmarried at the ripe old age of... 14.
- klbinz 3y ago
  When I looked, the evidence I found was quite strong. Younger age of maturity seems to be driven by nutritional improvements of the Industrial Revolution. > Compared to the 19th century, women have become younger and taller at age of maturity (Worthman 1999). This secular trend has been most intense within groups of low socioeconomic status (SES) (e.g., Abioye-Kuteyi et al 1997). This class effect only pertains to countries where low SES groups do not suffer from systematic malnutrition and disease (it is absent in e.g., Denmark Helm & Lidegaard 1989). https://kevinbinz.com/2022/08/18/the-pace-of-life/ https://kevinbinz.com/2022/08/18/the-pace-of-life/
  - SamPatt 3y ago
    Given your username, I'm assuming you're the author of these articles. Thank you for writing them. Very informative. It makes sense that maturity would occur earlier in an environment where resources are plentiful.

circlefavshape 3y ago

I hear this all the time, but the wikipedia article seems to say the evidence is pretty weak. Juliet was 13 when herself and Romeo got together

bitwize 3y ago
In India it used to be expected to be married and starting to have kids by age 12 or so. In the novel Nectar in a Sieve, main character Rukmani is worried that her daughter will be an old maid forever when she remains unmarried at the ripe old age of... 14.
klbinz 3y ago
When I looked, the evidence I found was quite strong. Younger age of maturity seems to be driven by nutritional improvements of the Industrial Revolution. > Compared to the 19th century, women have become younger and taller at age of maturity (Worthman 1999). This secular trend has been most intense within groups of low socioeconomic status (SES) (e.g., Abioye-Kuteyi et al 1997). This class effect only pertains to countries where low SES groups do not suffer from systematic malnutrition and disease (it is absent in e.g., Denmark Helm & Lidegaard 1989). https://kevinbinz.com/2022/08/18/the-pace-of-life/ https://kevinbinz.com/2022/08/18/the-pace-of-life/
- SamPatt 3y ago
  Given your username, I'm assuming you're the author of these articles. Thank you for writing them. Very informative. It makes sense that maturity would occur earlier in an environment where resources are plentiful.