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Prehistoric moms cared for kids better than we thought
Phys dot org ^ | November 23, 2021 | Australian National University

Posted on 11/27/2021 12:10:08 PM PST by SunkenCiv

"It has long been assumed that if there are a lot of deceased babies in a burial sample, then infant mortality must have been high," lead author Dr. Clare McFadden, from the ANU School of Archaeology and Anthropology, said.

"Many have assumed that infant mortality was very high in the past in the absence of modern healthcare.

"When we look at these burial samples, it actually tells us more about the number of babies that were born and tells us very little about the number of babies that were dying, which is counterintuitive to past perceptions."

The researchers examined United Nations (UN) data from the past decade for 97 countries that looked at infant mortality, fertility and the number of deaths that occurred during infancy. The analysis revealed that fertility had a much greater influence on the proportion of deceased infants than the infant mortality rate.

Because there is very little known about early human societies, the UN data helped the researchers make interpretations about humans from the past 10,000 years.

"Archaeology has often looked at the proportion of deceased infants to learn something about infant mortality. There was an assumption that nearly half, 40 percent, of all babies born in prehistoric populations died within the first year of their lives," Dr. McFadden said.

After analyzing the UN data, Dr. McFadden found no evidence to support this assumption.

(Excerpt) Read more at phys.org ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Travel
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs
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1 posted on 11/27/2021 12:10:08 PM PST by SunkenCiv
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...

2 posted on 11/27/2021 12:10:32 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Imagine an imaginary menagerie manager imagining managing an imaginary menagerie.)
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To: SunkenCiv

“We” who?


3 posted on 11/27/2021 12:13:00 PM PST by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion, or satire. Or both.)
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To: BenLurkin

Their idea of “prehistoric” is prior to the year 2000.


4 posted on 11/27/2021 12:15:41 PM PST by Fido969 (45 is Superman!)
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To: BenLurkin

“We” who?”
The “experts” or maybe the scientist?


5 posted on 11/27/2021 12:18:32 PM PST by Tupelo
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To: SunkenCiv
"Prehistoric moms cared for kids better than we thought"

Actually, I didn't have any firm views on the subject of how prehistoric moms cared for their kids.
6 posted on 11/27/2021 12:33:46 PM PST by Steve_Seattle
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To: Fido969

We’re reentering the prehistoric era


7 posted on 11/27/2021 12:40:37 PM PST by Vaquero (Don't pick a fight with an old guy. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you. )
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To: SunkenCiv

Until now I always assumed prehistoric moms hated their kids.


8 posted on 11/27/2021 12:41:24 PM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: SunkenCiv
Prehistoric moms cared for kids better than we thought.

Well yeah....everyone on the planet has antecedents that protected their offspring....think Chinese "Tiger Moms" are tough...way back when they had cave bear moms.

9 posted on 11/27/2021 12:43:42 PM PST by Covenantor (We are ruled...by liars who refuse them news, and fools who can not govern. " Chesterton)
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To: SunkenCiv

Of of the DNA test companies says I have more Neanderthal DNA than 71% of the general population. You are posting about my ancestors!


10 posted on 11/27/2021 12:44:54 PM PST by ProtectOurFreedom (“…in any great disaster, there's a Harvard man in the middle of it.” ~ Thomas Sowell)
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To: Steve_Seattle

But you knew it had to be done well or we wouldn’t be here.


11 posted on 11/27/2021 12:46:37 PM PST by firebrand
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To: SunkenCiv

Pebbles and Bam-Bam always seemed pretty healthy to me. Don’t these researchers ever watch TV?


12 posted on 11/27/2021 12:48:33 PM PST by Billthedrill
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To: SunkenCiv

Infants are so incredibly fragile that it seems impossible that they could survive and grow to adolescence unless they were cared for in an attentive and near continuous manner. This is so unlike primates and all other animals. Just more evidence in opposition to evolution.


13 posted on 11/27/2021 12:51:00 PM PST by Honest Nigerian
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To: SunkenCiv

UN data.. lol


14 posted on 11/27/2021 12:59:01 PM PST by Trillian
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To: SunkenCiv

Yeah but were they racist back then and were the gender woke?


15 posted on 11/27/2021 1:06:38 PM PST by GrandJediMasterYoda (As long as Hillary Clinton remains free, the USA will never have equal justice under the law)
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To: Telepathic Intruder

I heard they cared more about moving up the corporate ladder than their children. They left them at day care centers with Neanderthals even...


16 posted on 11/27/2021 1:14:34 PM PST by EEGator
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To: EEGator

Jeez I hate to think what day care centers were like back then.


17 posted on 11/27/2021 1:23:15 PM PST by Telepathic Intruder
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To: SunkenCiv

Almost certainly spanked them when they acted up. Darwin took of those who tried other approaches.


18 posted on 11/27/2021 1:50:00 PM PST by BobL (I shop at Walmart and eat at McDonald's, I just don't tell anyone, like most here.)
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To: SunkenCiv

Are they saying that prehistoric mom did not embrace gender fluidity, me-too movement, gay rights, animal rights, and the woke lifestyle?


19 posted on 11/27/2021 2:27:33 PM PST by Tai_Chung
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To: SunkenCiv

Here’s the article’s money shot:

“The researchers would also like to see greater emphasis placed on the stories of women in past populations, which they say have long been neglected in favor of male stories.”


20 posted on 11/27/2021 2:28:40 PM PST by nicollo
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