<quote>
Chemical cues from fathers may be delaying the onset of sexual maturity in daughters, as part of an evolutionary strategy to prevent inbreeding, according to researchers at Penn State.

"Biological fathers send out inhibitory chemical signals to their daughters," said Robert Matchock, assistant professor of psychology at Penn State's Altoona Campus. "In the absence of these signals, girls tend to sexually mature earlier."
</quote>

I find this a bit creepy for some reason.

For *some* reason?  How about for *any* reason?  It is creepy.

Makes perfect sense to me.

If you find this creepy you probably also think that nudity is dirty.

"you probably also think that nudity is dirty."
Are you hitting on me?  Cos I don't swing that way, bro.  Not that there's anything wrong with that.  I'm just not into guys.

I think it's awesome. A father can prevent teenage pregnancy by ... doing homework with his daughters. What's wrong with that?

People find it creepy only because they find the notion that humans communicate thru smells gross (almost all human excretions are considered disgusting). Because we're all 'higher level' animals and all our media should be reducible to what can be said on web forums.

I was being facetious.  Frankly, I don't care much either way.  Now, I bet you're glad I cleared up that little misunderstanding ;-)

It *is* a bit creepy - mostly because it implies that the incidence of incest was high enough that it became an evolutionary advantage.

This reminds me of the research that found women sharing a household synchronise their periods

Back in the day I knew a woman who's office synchronised. Once a month the solitary guy used to buy vast quantities of chocolate, purely out of fear.

> that the incidence of incest was high enough

I think we've been told umpteen times that men will fuck anything that moves. I guess (1) this ain't completely true if incest can be curbed by a girl delaying puberty.

(2) That girls should either marry before puberty (so that they can move away from daddy) or just get out of the house more. [Wow! Seems obvious why cultures that deny the second option promote the first one.]

And (3) adds credence to the notion that women are more exogamous (ie, mate outside the tribe) than men -- the lack of daddy (and maybe brother, too) smell signals that they are ready to launch into adulthood. They are more adventurous and though they perceive different ethnic boundaries like I imagine men do, they are more willing -- and if their anti-daddy sense is extreme, even compelled -- to cross them to find mates.

It didn't say it curbs incest it said it curbs in-breeding.  The point about delaying maturity is that it stops them getting pregnant. Doesn't stop some evil old bastard in the attempt...

Creepy beyond recognition.

So do fatherless girls mature, physically, earlier than girls with fathers?

That's what their research suggests.

"It *is* a bit creepy - mostly because it implies that the incidence of incest was high enough that it became an evolutionary advantage."

uh? howso?