Eli5: why do humans under go puberty, and why is it generally around the teen years?
In: Biology
Humans (And all other mammals as far as i’m aware. Undergo puberty because we don’t start out fully developed. Children are, at least biologically, only distinguishable in gender by their sexual organs, as they look pretty much the same otherwise. Sexual dimorphism, aka the body plan being clearly differentiated between males and females, is a thing that only happens in humans in puberty. It is also when our bodies get ready for sexual reproduction. As for why it happens when it does, that’s just how we are programmed.
Primary and secondary sexual characteristics become more significant because the body is becoming large enough to start producing children of its own. Males generally bulk up and become more aggressive. Females generally begin their menstrual cycle.
In rare cases, puberty can kick in before or after teenage years, but this can be remedied by hormone therapy.
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