> On Thu, 16 Feb 1995, Robert Luly wrote:
>> > I have a simple computer program that I got from somewhere that allows
> > you to vary different peramiters and see the effect on a breeding population.
> > An interesting thing you can do is delay the age of PUBERTY and see its
> > effect over 1000 years. If you go too far the species goes EXTINCT.
> > Could this be a "harmless birth control???
I have been thinking for a while now about the advantages of extending the pre-
puberty period, and the previous posting has added one more unexpected advantage
to the list. If we extend the period of pre-puberty, I also think it is
fallacious to think that parents will have to care for their children until they
reach puberty at age 20 or whatever. Intellectual maturity and wisdom depend on
experience and education, not being awash in sex hormones. In fact I know many
10 and 11 year olds who are more mature than their pubescent peers...Many of the
problems facing the world today come from over expression of sex hormones and the
petty behavior they cause. Pre-puberty is also claimed to be the period when we
learn the fastest, thus if you wanted to to foster learning, understanding and
wisdom, this would be the way to go.
As a slight digression that I think is relevant to this newsgroup, I have read
somewhere that animal studies have shown that extending the period before puberty
will actually extend the lifespan...Does anyone know of the studies showing how
melatonin can delay the onset of puberty, I and probably some others on this
newsgroup would be interested.
Robert Horley
Phanat Nikhom, Thailand
