millbank Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 The Ultimate Price While it is tough to be a woman, being a man can be downright deadly. Women live longer than men. And now scientists suggest a simple Darwinian reason: Competing for a mate can wear a guy out or get him killed. "Women live longer in almost every country, and the sex difference in lifespan has been recognized since at least the mid-18th century," said Daniel Kruger at the University of Michigan. "It isn't a recent trend; it originates from our deep evolutionary history." The idea is presented in the spring edition of the journal Human Nature. Butting heads In common chimpanzees, Kruger and his colleague Randolph Nesse report, mortality spikes among males around age 13, just as they're old enough to breed and start competing for social status. Males of many species must fight vigorously for the right to mate. Think of rams butting heads. Spectacular male bird plumage is another example of biological effort required to succeed, effort that uses energy and can shorten a life. In this scheme of natural selection, evolution shapes traits that help the best genes survive, sometimes to the detriment of individuals. Human males don't always have to wrestle to get a woman these days, but the pressure to succeed sexually hasn't changed much, the researchers argue. Only the methods have been revised. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beerball Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Tell GofBiB something he don't know. Guys taken to begging for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark VI Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 Tell GofBiB something he don't know. Guys taken to begging for it. 689258[/snapback] Plus he states it MUST be hot. He wants the world on a waterbed. Literally ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bills_fan Posted May 11, 2006 Share Posted May 11, 2006 BS. Men die early for only one reason...... They want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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