The Evolution of Rebellion

I have never considered what this article presents. Homo sapiens are the only species known to have teenagers. Think about it. Every other animal goes from baby to adult at a steady, gradual state. We, on the other hand, plateau after for about eight years after age three, then suddenly just start it up again. However:

He [anthropologist Steven Leigh from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign] points out that many primates have growth spurts in particular body regions that are associated with reaching maturity, and this makes sense because by timing the short but crucial spells of maturation to coincide with the seasons when food is plentiful, they minimize the risk of being without adequate food supplies while growing. What makes humans unique is that the whole skeleton is involved. For Leigh, this is the key.

The article explains one possible reason as to why humans appear to be the only ones that have adolescence:

While such behaviour is still developing, humans cannot easily fend for themselves, so it is best to stay small and look youthful. That way you do not eat too much, and your parents and other members of the social group are motivated to continue looking after you.

Judging by the amount of people cited in the article, it seems as though this is a very controversial issue. It is clearly also one that will not every be solved conclusively (please don't hold me to that). However, the article does state:

So it looks as though Bogin is correct — we are the original teenagers.

I recommend reading this article. It could make you seem interesting at parties.