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[Zangi]

Seems kinda obvious the reason behind it.  If you look at humans as the mammals we are...

Children, well fed and nourished.  Biologically, it means the body has more resources to develop itself faster.  Its like telling whatever biological functions that change the body: "Hey guys... we got no worries about food or survival!  Lets develop something more useful!"
For the natural expansion of humanity!  (Even if we have too much already...)  And yea, I suspect nature considers baby making very useful.

Survival and Expansion of Species:   Like any animal...  No predators, with plenty of food and nourishment available.  Translates into a natural population explosion of said species.

Also, in another perspective: Nature favors pedophiles.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

There's certainly a lot of changes brought on by modern civilization. Without civilization, the human lifespan is a pathetic thirty years, assuming infection, predators, or wisdom teeth (no, really) don't get you first. In a first world country these days? Not living to 80 is considered unusual for healthy individuals, and even unhealthy people can live to 60 without much trouble. It's crazy, and we aren't anywhere near the absolute limit. Once we have a sure-fire way of dealing with cancers, the rate will likely skyrocket.

[Soadreqm]

For some reason, all I can think of is how much easier this will make it to breed humans for their valuable bones.

[Africa]

I wonder if it's possible that somehow some kind of social or psychological factor could cause this.

Well, to be exact, of course it's POSSIBLE, I wonder if it's happening.

Kind of doubting it.  There's high selection pressure against early female puberty, social-factors-wise.  The parents don't want it, the kids don't want it, the classmates don't want it.  Kids who end up chesty too early are often traumatized (I know a couple of these people, and they're pretty miserable about it even eleven years later).

Of course, an anecdote does not a scientific study make, but it seems pretty improbable.

Yeah, but us wanting it isn't the only conceivable reason it could happen. There could be some as-yet-unknown aspect of our society, or of modern life in general, that somehow flips some switch somewhere in the psyche and causes people's hormones to start flooding earlier. Similar to how sweet sugary foods and modern entertainment technology addict us and cause behaviors and physiological effects that were never seen before.

Of course I'm speculating - just saying it's entirely within the realm of the possible.

[Zangi]

I wonder if it's possible that somehow some kind of social or psychological factor could cause this.

Well, to be exact, of course it's POSSIBLE, I wonder if it's happening.

Kind of doubting it.  There's high selection pressure against early female puberty, social-factors-wise.  The parents don't want it, the kids don't want it, the classmates don't want it.  Kids who end up chesty too early are often traumatized (I know a couple of these people, and they're pretty miserable about it even eleven years later).

Of course, an anecdote does not a scientific study make, but it seems pretty improbable.

Yeah, but us wanting it isn't the only conceivable reason it could happen. There could be some as-yet-unknown aspect of our society, or of modern life in general, that somehow flips some switch somewhere in the psyche and causes people's hormones to start flooding earlier. Similar to how sweet sugary foods and modern entertainment technology addict us and cause behaviors and physiological effects that were never seen before.

Of course I'm speculating - just saying it's entirely within the realm of the possible.

You speak as if this is somehow caused mentally.

I'm saying its physical. Biological.  Nature.  Humans are still mammals.

Over-nourished and 'safe' = making babies time for the mammals

[ChairmanPoo]

It would be interesting to know the exact reliablitiy of the 1840's data.

And it would be interesting to know discrepancies between social groups: eg: if children in wealthy families (=better fed) hit puberty earlier than lower, malnourished classes.

[Chaoswizkid]

Before the drop began, the standard (there was and still is variation between national groups and races) for girls was 18.

Say whut?
What about, you know, the whole "let's get married at 13!" thing? Didn't have kids until their 20's?
And also, I know it's REALLY taboo to bring into scientific discussion, but I heard that the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus at 14 (Don't read the bible, so I wouldn't know). I mean, yeah, it's already unnatural to begin with so people would probably let the 'before 18' thing go, but I'd figure there would be more discussion about that, too, if that were the case?

Also, we're totally getting our cows hopped up on chemicals and whatnot. I'd expect aging hormones (estrogen, in this case) for cows to be used to make them grow faster, produce more milk, etc. Milk consumption has increased substantially with the invention of refrigeration, and although it wouldn't have today's hormone cocktails in it, could milk be a key factor in this? Excess estrogen in modern milk causes puberty for females to occur much faster? It could also be a reason why the affect in third world countries isn't as large as first world.

[Josephus]

I've heard tell she was sixteen, but now that I reflect upon Middle Eastern culture, fourteen makes sense as well.

[MetalSlimeHunt]

Before the drop began, the standard (there was and still is variation between national groups and races) for girls was 18.

Say whut?
What about, you know, the whole "let's get married at 13!" thing? Didn't have kids until their 20's?

It's possible that they would spend years without being able to have children, yes. There were a good deal of people who despaired about/had their child brides executed over them not giving heirs, and that was between nobility, who had the best health of anyone. Still, alot of the older data remains somewhat doubtful, not having good documentation.

I suppose it could be possible (but I never wish to find out) that trying for children could make puberty happen earlier than it would otherwise.

[Zangi]

It would be interesting to know the exact reliablitiy of the 1840's data.

And it would be interesting to know discrepancies between social groups: eg: if children in wealthy families (=better fed) hit puberty earlier than lower, malnourished classes.

I expect research on this could take years... to get something more concrete... 
And lots more asking need be done to gain a better perspective for the time being.


Plus... science must prevail!  Your squeemish ways shall be ignored by pedobear backed funding!

[ChairmanPoo]

It would be interesting to know the exact reliablitiy of the 1840's data.

And it would be interesting to know discrepancies between social groups: eg: if children in wealthy families (=better fed) hit puberty earlier than lower, malnourished classes.

I expect research on this could take years... to get something more concrete... 
And lots more asking need be done to gain a better perspective for the time being.


Plus... science must prevail!  Your squeemish ways shall be ignored by pedobear backed funding!

inb4 seal of approval

[Jreengus]

Spoiler (click to show/hide)

"Better" being always a relative term.  If this trend continues, by 2030 the American race will be a people born as spherical adolescent blobs.  We must take action.

I like the way the day before yesterday she had a negative number of husbands.

[Gorjo MacGrymm]

The entire fake CNN news reel is bogus pseudo-science targeting BPA.  Not news, no facts, just bogus BS.  No evidence.  BPA has been proven over and over and over and over and over........to not do what they say...................just another "WAHHHH!" freak out over a chemical with a three letter acronym that is meaningless.  Like DDT........

Thanks to our getting rid of DDT, we have condemed hundreds of millions to pain and death, because the enviro-dorks say DDT is bad because somehow its more humane?

NM, touched a hot button.  Sorry.

[Vector]

... And yet you kept your words there.

What's your proposed explanation for the early puberty?  Also, what's your explanation for the "soft eggshell" problem, if it wasn't DDT?  You must have some other, more logical reasoning with which you can furnish us.

[Josephus]

Man, DDT is just the worst. Of course, there are many other pesticides out there that are just as bad.

In my glorious homeland, Big Banana plantation owners insists on spraying the mountain farms with pesticide. The farmers and villagers in the area have skin lesions, respiratory diseases, and mental problems, increasing nowadays. That shit is not cool.