I was reminded today of the "grandmother hypothesis." I was listening to a conference session on aging and lifespan...why do we age, or, conversely, why do we live so long? Speakers went through lots of biology, a little evolution, some religion and philosophy, and touched on the grandmother hypothesis.
Advanced by anthropologist Kristen Hawkes, the hypothesis is that women live to be grandmothers so that they can support their daughters and grandchildren. It is an evolutionary advantage. One of the speakers pointed out that having big brains makes human births dangerous. So, maternal mortality is relatively high. In addition, since kids have to be born with their brains only about half the size of a mature brain, kids need to be protected and nurtured for a long period of time. Rather than relying on their male partners, women rely on their mothers (or other female relatives) for support. End result: longer longevity for women.
Not sure if I agree with the whole packeage, but I like the idea of grandmas being important.
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