Why do women live longer than men? I’d expect the opposite, since post-menopausal traits are the only traits that can never be subject to natural selection- and those are the years that make up the…
The "grandmother hypothesis" is one that has been put forward to explain why women go through menopause and spend a significant portion of their lives post–menopausally. That is, grandmothers do a lot to help raise their grandchildren, and in that fashion, reproductive success is increased throu…
The Short Answer
The "grandmother hypothesis" is one that has been put forward to explain why women go through menopause and spend a significant portion of their lives post–menopausally. That is, grandmothers do a lot to help raise their grandchildren, and in that fashion, reproductive success is increased through women living many years without additional fertility. Humans are unique in needing an extremely long number of years of development and the amount of labor required in this task is enormous. In addition, there is the issue of large amounts of testosterone having some negative effects, health-wise, in men. Human males who are castrated at a young age have longer life expectancies than males who are not castrated.
Analysis
Key Concepts: Women, years, males
This explanation focuses on women, years, males and spans 114 words across 5 sentences. At 58% above the average Biology explanation (72 words), this is one of the more thorough answers in this category, reflecting the complexity of the underlying question.
What This Answer Covers
The explanation opens with: “The "grandmother hypothesis" is one that has been put forward to explain why women go through menopause and spend a sign” It then elaboratesultimately building toward a complete picture across 5 connected points.
How This Compares in Biology
Ranked #87 of 500 Biology questions by answer depth (top 18%). This places it in the comprehensive tier — the top quarter of most thoroughly answered questions. Questions at this depth typically involve multi-faceted topics requiring nuanced explanation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a simple explanation for why women live longer than men? i'd expect the opposite, since post-menopausal traits are the only traits that can never be subject to natural selection- and those are the years that make up the life expectancy difference.?
The "grandmother hypothesis" is one that has been put forward to explain why women go through menopause and spend a significant portion of their lives post–menopausally. That is, grandmothers do a lot to help raise their grandchildren, and in that…
How detailed is this explanation compared to similar Biology questions?
This is one of the most thorough answer at 114 words, ranked #87 of 500 Biology questions by depth. The key concepts covered are women, years, males.
What approach does this answer take to explain women live longer than men? i'd expect the opposite, since p?
The explanation uses direct explanation across 114 words. It is categorized under Biology and addresses the question through 1 analytical lens.