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Atheist Forums › Science › General Science v
Reproductive cycles

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Reproductive cycles
lifesagift Offline
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#1
Reproductive cycles
October 30, 2014 at 7:13 pm
Why are our reproductive cycles so short?
Given that the solar system is 4.6 billion years old... why do we produce offspring in just 0.75 of a year? and not 170 years?
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The Valkyrie Offline
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#2
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 30, 2014 at 7:38 pm
Because we don't live for 170 years.

We live an average of around 80 - and that's only become common in the past hundred or so years (not counting, of course, exceptional individuals) so our reproductive cycle evolved in a primate that lived, on average, 30-40 years.

Playing Cluedo with my mum while I was at Uni:

"You did WHAT?  With WHO?  WHERE???"
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vorlon13 Offline
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#3
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 30, 2014 at 8:17 pm
Jesus, women are hissy about being preggers for just 9 months . . .
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lifesagift Offline
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#4
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 31, 2014 at 4:47 pm
So why not a weekly pregnancy?
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vorlon13 Offline
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#5
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 31, 2014 at 4:49 pm
What would the parents do with a baby smaller than a pencil eraser ??
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lifesagift Offline
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#6
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 31, 2014 at 4:53 pm
(October 31, 2014 at 4:49 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: What would the parents do with a baby smaller than a pencil eraser ??

No, what if we evolved so that the foetus grew quickly enough so it would survive after a week?

Why 9 months?
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vorlon13 Offline
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#7
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 31, 2014 at 4:57 pm
A full term size baby in a week would drain mom totally and leave her a withered husk.
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lifesagift Offline
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#8
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 31, 2014 at 4:59 pm
(October 31, 2014 at 4:57 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: A full term size baby in a week would drain mom totally and leave her a withered husk.
Not if she evolved not to... you're missing my point my friend...
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Jenny A Offline
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#9
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 31, 2014 at 4:59 pm
More importantly, why are some aphids born pregnant with their granddaughters?

Quote:Some aphids have telescoping generations, that is, the parthenogenetic, viviparous female has a daughter within her, who is already parthenogenetically producing her own daughter.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aphid

Just saying I could do with about 10,000 or so fewer aphids.
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BrianSoddingBoru4 Offline
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#10
RE: Reproductive cycles
October 31, 2014 at 5:19 pm
(October 31, 2014 at 4:59 pm)lifesagift Wrote:
(October 31, 2014 at 4:57 pm)vorlon13 Wrote: A full term size baby in a week would drain mom totally and leave her a withered husk.
Not if she evolved not to... you're missing my point my friend...

So, basically you're asking why human beings evolved one way and not another as regards gestation and reproduction?

Short answer (and I'm not a biologist, by any stretch): We've evolved the way we have because it works. How do I know? Because if it didn't work, we would have evolved some other way.

Your question is fatuous on the face of it. It's like asking, 'Why are trees made of wood and not cheese?' or 'Why do goats have horns and not flippers?'.

Boru
‘I can’t be having with this.’ - Esmeralda Weatherwax
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Atheist Forums › Science › General Science v
Reproductive cycles

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