Are we being Genetically Modified?

[10ClarionSt]

I read a report last week by a number of U.S peadiatricians who had studied 140,000 children between the ages of 6 and 16. They found that the average age of puberty was 9.9 years for boys and 8.8 years for girls. In 1860, the average age for puberty was 16. Since then, the average age has fallen by approx 5 months per decade. The experts don't know the exact reason for this but point to better health care, cleaner living and healthier life styles as possibilities. Are we going to be like rats and be able to breed as soon as we can walk? Are we being genetically modified?

[boxtops]

No, we're not being genetically modified - if you look back to the middle ages, people were old at 40. Each generation (until now) has been fitter than the ones before, medical interventions keep us alive longer - children appear to be maturing earlier. 8 seems amazing young for puberty though - I'd like to see the other criteria in their sampling.

[Graham-W]

Yes. We have been genetically modified since the arrival of life on Earth
some 4 billion years ago and continues with Homo Sapiens, who have only been on Earth for 200,000 years. That's how we got where we are today.

[LazyGun]

This seems to be a rather paranoid interpretation of the facts that improved sanitation and hygiene, greater access to medicines, antibiotics and perhaps most important of all cheap food and greater resources has meant that each successive generation is less challenged by environmental factors than previous ones.

[Sqad]

What did they mean by puberty? how was it gauged?

\\ U.S peadiatricians who had studied 140,000 children between the ages of 6 and 16. \\\

How were they "studied?"

Not enough information to give an informed answer i am afraid.

[slaney]

Is this the study/links you are referring to?
http://www.guardian.c...rty-growing-up-faster

http://www.guardian.c...-boys-puberty-earlier

[emmie]

if so can i be someone else for a while, i don't care for myself right now, too old, so would like to regain some of that spring i once had..

[LazyGun]

i think the title of the OP is slightly misleading - It implies that there is a conscious agency genetically modifying us - with a particular goal.

In the wider sense that we are still evolving, as Graham -W suggests, that is true.

[Valmave]

I am not sure what the connection is between children's feet and puberty ?

[emmie]

http://www.guardian.c...rty-growing-up-faster

[JonnyBoy12]

If you want to know more about this then you should read the excellent book "The study of children's development" by P.D.A. Trician!