Scientists Still Stumped By The Evolution of Human Breasts

What are the benefits of breasts?

The Crux
By Bridget Alex
Mar 6, 2019 9:15 PMApr 26, 2020 8:11 PM
chimp breasts
Primate mothers only develop enlarged breasts during ovulation, whereas human females have them from puberty on. (Credit: Sergey Uryadnikov)

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“How about breasts?” The question came from a jock-y guy in one of my graduate school classes on human evolution.

Far from offensive, the query was appropriate and astute. My classmates and I nodded approval, and the professor added it to a growing list on the board.

We were brainstorming features that distinguish our species, Homo sapiens, from other primates. That list includes human peculiarities like big brains, upright walking, languagefurless bodies … and permanently enlarged breasts after puberty.

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