• Agent641@lemmy.world
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    4 months ago

    Back when we lived to the ripe old age of 38.

    (Im kidding, I know that was mostly due to infection and whatnot)

    • snooggums@midwest.social
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      4 months ago

      The ‘age of 38’ thing isn’t even due to infection ir disease, or even a thing at all. 38 was the average between the high number of infant deaths and the normal lifespan of someone who didn’t.

      Ok, women giving birth skewed it a bit too. Men didn’t die in battle as much as people think, since most battles were decided when a small portion of the losing side died and the rest fled.

      • MBM@lemmings.world
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        4 months ago

        Do we have numbers for the hunter-gatherer time that can even be skewed by infant deaths?

        Edit: as it turns out, yes, absolutely. Wikipedia says the lifespan is around 21-37 years but 57% died before 15 and 64% of those that don’t would also reach 45.