Most mammals don't live long past their reproductive years, failing to serve much evolutionary purpose after they can stop passing on their genes to offspring.
Only three long-lived social mammalian species are known break that
mold. Killer
whales (Orcinus orca), pilot whales (Globicephala
macrorhynchus) and humans (as well as possibly some other great
apes) all have females that generally live for decades after they cease
being able to bear young. So what might we have in common with these
cetaceans?
To read the full, original article click on this link: Observations: The grandmother factor: Why do only humans and whales live long past menopause?
Author: Katherine Harmon
Image courtesy of iStockphoto/Lazareva
