U.S. Girls Maturing Faster? Puberty at Seven?

[Empty Hands]

I give my jalapeno plant gatorade every day, because that's what plants crave!

It's got electrolytes!

 

[Carol]

What are electrolytes?

 

[crushing]

What are electrolytes?

It's one of those there things that water, like from the toilet, don't have.

 

[CanuckMA]

What are electrolytes?

It's negative electrical particles, but on a diet.

 

[Empty Hands]

What are electrolytes?

That which plants crave.

 

[Nomad]

True, but it has slowed down considerably.

I've seen people breeding where intelligence and.or socialibility was not really there. It will be a while before stupid people are bred out of the gene pool.

Hmmmm... what makes you think that stupidity is a trait that can be "bred out" of the gene pool? Or that intelligence and/or sociability are dominate traits that would be selected for by evolution, and not just rare aberrations?

Ma_Caver - one reason that girls would be feeling the effects of environmental hormones more than boys is that most of the hormones that we're pumping out via bovine growth hormones and so on are closely related to estrogen, and have been shown to disrupt the normal endocrine pathways in animal studies. Here's an interesting related link

 

[Empty Hands]

Hmmmm... what makes you think that stupidity is a trait that can be "bred out" of the gene pool? Or that intelligence and/or sociability are dominate traits that would be selected for by evolution, and not just rare aberrations?

Because we select and breed for those traits in animals. Take dog breeds. Some breeds are far more sociable or intelligent than others, and the entire breed will share that characteristic (more or less). Our traits can be selected like any other organism.

 

[Nomad]

Because we select and breed for those traits in animals. Take dog breeds. Some breeds are far more sociable or intelligent than others, and the entire breed will share that characteristic (more or less). Our traits can be selected like any other organism.

Sure, we can. But with dogs, we have selective breeding programs that are (arguably) successful. But for a number of reasons (including some ethical), we don't really see the same thing with people. In fact, it can be argued that the opposite is true... those with less education and opportunity in the world tend to breed earlier and more prolifically than those who are highly successful, affluent, or extremely well educated (most people getting doctorate or medical degrees for example will "put off" having kids until later in life, thus reducing their procreative years).

 

[CanuckMA]

Hmmmm... what makes you think that stupidity is a trait that can be "bred out" of the gene pool? Or that intelligence and/or sociability are dominate traits that would be selected for by evolution, and not just rare aberrations?

Ma_Caver - one reason that girls would be feeling the effects of environmental hormones more than boys is that most of the hormones that we're pumping out via bovine growth hormones and so on are closely related to estrogen, and have been shown to disrupt the normal endocrine pathways in animal studies. Here's an interesting related link

Because in a society where intelligence would lead to survival, stupidity would eventually lose out. Never going to happen in human society because we tend to care for are weaker/less capable members.

 

[Empty Hands]

Sure, we can. But with dogs, we have selective breeding programs that are (arguably) successful. But for a number of reasons (including some ethical), we don't really see the same thing with people. In fact, it can be argued that the opposite is true... those with less education and opportunity in the world tend to breed earlier and more prolifically than those who are highly successful, affluent, or extremely well educated (most people getting doctorate or medical degrees for example will "put off" having kids until later in life, thus reducing their procreative years).

You questioned whether intelligence or sociability were traits that could be selected for by evolution. The fact that they are is not the same as saying they will be.

 

[Empty Hands]

Because in a society where intelligence would lead to survival, stupidity would eventually lose out. Never going to happen in human society because we tend to care for are weaker/less capable members.

Not "survival", "reproduction." The main way that would happen in our society is sexual selection - people would select more intelligent (or whatever) mates because those were seen as desirable traits. That's the entire reason peacock tails and other bright plumage in birds even exists, they certainly don't help animals survive.

Sexual selection is also probably the reason that males are larger in advanced species. In all lower species, like insects and such, the females are larger. Only makes sense, they have to lay the eggs/bear the young.