(Uni Southhampton) They found that Paleolithic girls arrived at menarche - the first occurrence of menstruation – between seven and 13 years. This is a similar age to modern girls, which suggests that this is the evolutionarily determined age of puberty in girls. ‘This would have matched the degree of psychosocial maturation necessary to function as an adult in Paleolithic society based on small groups of hunter-gatherers,’ they write. Disease and poor nutrition became more common as humans settled, causing puberty to be delayed. Modern hygiene, nutrition and medicine have allowed the age of menarche to fall to its original range.

Als wir noch Jäger und Sammler waren, erreichten die Frauen ihre Geschlechtsreife mit demselben Alter wie heute. Es gab aber eine Zwischenphase, als Sesshaftigkeit in Mode kam, in welcher Unterernährung und Krankheit den Zeitpunkt hinauszögerten. Wer hätte das gedacht? Ich jedenfalls nicht.