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Name: Tom H.
Status: other
Age: 20s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: Sunday, December 08, 2002
Question:
Hello. Thank you for taking the time to ponder my question. I would like to know (in layman's terms) why animals life cycle is so much quicker than humans. For instance, I just purchased a Boston Terrier puppy. She was smaller than my shoe when I got her. Now, only twenty weeks later, she is almost full grown. Why do animals grow at such a higher rate than humans?

Replies:
Growth rates are related to size and life span of the animal. For instance, an elephant is large, grows slowly, and lives a long time, while a mouse is small, grows fast, and does not live long. There is not a strict, fixed relationship but this is in general true.

J. Elliott

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