We evolved by retaining the youthful characters of our ancestors.
This process is called neoteny (literally, "holding youth")
Many of our adult features are similar to the juvenile features of other primates.
This delayed development is a basic event in human (and primate) evolution.
We live longer and mature more slowly than mammals of comparable body size.
Humans have the most protracted period of infancy, childhood and juvenility.
Nearly 30% of our life is spent growing.
What is the adaptive significant of retarded development?
Humans are not particularly strong, swift or well-designed. We don't reproduce rapidly.
We are a learning animal and our primary advantage is our brain.
To enhance our learning, we have lengthened our childhood by delaying sexual maturation with its adolescent yearning for independence. Our children are tied for longer periods to their parents, increasing their learning time and strengthening family ties.
Ever Since Darwin: Reflections in Natural History by Stephen Jay Gould
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