Dinosaurs Grew Fast and Bred Young

Smivs writes "It is thought that dinosaurs were able to breed before they were fully grown, much like todays mammals. This ensured that they could breed before they were predated in the violent world of the Mesozoic era. Calcium-rich medullary bone, which, in birds, is used to produce egg shells, was found inside the fossilized shin-bones of two specimens: the meat-eating Allosaurus and the plant-eater Tenontosaurus.Sarah Werning and Andrew Lee of the University of California, Berkeley, deduced from growth rings inside the bone that the two females were aged eight and 10, very young for dinosaurs, which lived to about 30. 'This shows us beyond any doubt how fast dinosaurs grow,' said Kevin Padian, a professor at UC Berkeley's Museum of Palaeontology. 'They're growing as fast as big birds and big mammals.'"

Comments

Humans too...

[psychicsword]

There are example of humans breeding commonly at young ages too.
In the middle ages it was common for children to get married and although they tended to have kids when they where older, this wasn't always the case.
A quick google search turned this up:

It is more common for a young woman to have been married early, though not to have had her first child until she was much older. It is agreed that the most common age for a young woman to have given birth to her first child is from 16yo. In the middle ages with death all around from acts of god(viruses) and where large and very long wars were common it seems that humans did a similar thing.
Also from what I remember from studying the Middle Ages in school they had around a 40 year life expectancy which is very similar to the Dinos' life expectancy "two females were aged eight and 10, very young for dinosaurs, which lived to about 30." I understand it isn't the best source but like I said it was a quick search you may find another one if you wish.

If you want an example from more recently here is one.

According to their own estimate of total population (which is another contentious issue), this implies that around 5.5 million South Africans were living with HIV at the end of 2005, including 240,000 children under 15 years old. Now this doesn't mean they are giving birth to kids but they are sexually active and those are just the ones with HIV.
Now I know this isn't evidence but it is a possibility and I wouldn't be surprised if the dinosaurs did it.
PS I am just throwing this out I have no experience in the area and it is just a thought. So please nicely correct me if I am wrong.

Re:Humans too...

[Anonymous Coward]

Like I said though, transmission by sexual activity vastly outshadows all other transmission mechanisms, including by birth (odds of a HIV positive mom passing it onto unborn child are not that great, IIRC about 50%).

5.5 million South Africans were living with HIV at the end of 2005, including 240,000 children under 15 years old.

So, 5.5 million minus 240,000, divided by two (assuming half are female) gives us 2,630,000 potential mothers. If only one-fifth of them bear children, that gives us 526,000 kids, half of whom will be HIV infected, which closely agrees with the initial number of children.

Sorry, dude, the numbers that you say support your position disagree with your prejudices.

Poor Dinosaurs...

[__aaclcg7560]

...were aged eight and 10, very young for dinosaurs, which lived to about 30.

And some people still think Logan's Run is science fiction.

Re:Don't tell the religious

[renegadesx]

At least it's a step up from beliving dinosaurs were wiped out by some worldwide flood 4000-5000 years ago