Why do humans take so long to reach adulthood when compared to other animals?

Answer 1

Because there are a lot more nuances to human relationships and society than other species. It takes longer to learn everything.

Humans reach physical maturity around 20 and mental and emotional maturity around the age of 30. During that time we have to learn how to walk and talk (in multiple languages some of us) run, jump, play piano, do algebra, be a friend, a sibling, a child, a parent, a waitress, a secretary, a manager, as secretary and on and on and on - please! That's a lot of things to learn and a lot of nuances in the basic human relationship that many other species simply do not have to contend with.

Peace!

Answer 2

Sexual adulthood is like 13-ish, it is the 'adulthood' we ought to continually use thus because we are speaking about sexual adulthood in animals after we are saying they're 'mature.' for a lot of human heritage the similar old lifespan became only 25-30, so we spent about 12-15 years accomplishing sexual adulthood, we reproduced, then we spent 12-15 years elevating our offspring to sexual adulthood, then we died. having reported that, it continues to be a quite lengthy time period. in all likelihood because of the quantity of capacity required to augment an sensible mind, and a particular minimum lifetime for there to be a payoff for intelligence (time to study.) different species with lengthy adulthood charges are also sensible, like different apes or elephants. it is also suitable that a human new child is way less bodily advanced than maximum animal newborns, only because a very advanced human with a huge head for a huge mind must be no longer attainable to grant start to. So we provide start to our youthful beforehand, with the point to communicate, and let them proceed progression outdoors the womb.

Answer 3

I'm guessing but when animals are born they have more extremes in the wild to deal with sooner than humans.
We need more time for full brain development and then much more is required from us.
For instance it has just been proven that young adults minds are still not fully developed at 21, something about the reasoning side of our brains.
Just like the saying...... he was older and wiser.

Answer 4

It's a combination of a few things. In most other mamals adulthood is really considered what we would consider teenage years in humans. The main answer though is how our brains develop. Our brains simply develop slower than other creatures because they are so much more complex.

Answer 5

Evolution. My theory is that someday, animals will live longer than us. The sea turtle is an excellent example because it is a sea mammal. They were almost the first of existence.

Because of evolution, I'd say our technology and medicine gives us extra years, verses the animals that live in the jungles and forests (explains why animals live longer in captivity).

But even in captivity, why are they still dying and aging so quickly before us? Maybe it's just heredity. It is very possible that the next chimpanzee you see or heard dying in captivity has had a father chimpanzee that lived in the jungle.

Answer 6

Specifically because of the size of our brains. It takes about 18 to 21 years before our brains have fully developed. We make up for it with an unusually long life span. Most mammals live up to 20 years, whereas we live up to 75 to 80 years.

Answer 7

I believe it is due to the complex brain development that humans must go through. It has been said that the human brain is not fully developed until age 21.

Answer 8

Humans have a family structure so they can afford to have a longer immature stage. A wildebeest needs to be walking within hours because the lions are hungrier.

Answer 9

According to the Bible, humans reach full adult hood at the age of 3 years old and can get married and have a family at the age of 3.

Answer 10

God designed us that way so parents would take care of their kids and this would cause families to form and then tribes and countries. It was needed for human development.