Libera Dreams

An article from one of today's UK papers:

Daily Telegraph

Well I beg to differ as to the cause of the earlier onset of puberty and also take exception to the statement that it's more difficult to chart the progress of puberty in boys.

I wasn't going to post on this subject again but I just have to ask which newspaper or TV report the people in the article got their info from for 2000 years ago!!!!
Yes boys are maturing earlier. When I was a kid I matured earlier than my friends BUT funnily enough I wasn't the biggest (tallest) or strongest, just it was 'my time' and that's it, when it's your time it happens.
As Libera fans all we can hope is 'our' singers time is later rather than sooner, yet as a boy (once many years ago) myself I can recall wanting to grow up and I doubt boys have changed since.

TullyBascombe wrote:Well I beg to differ as to the cause of the earlier onset of puberty and also take exception to the statement that it's more difficult to chart the progress of puberty in boys.

And your detailed knowledge and professional qualifications in this area are???

PhD., MD., Board Certified in Internal Medicine

TullyBascombe wrote:PhD., MD., Board Certified in Internal Medicine

An impressive list of letters and yet you still think light bulbs are to blame.......

Yorkie wrote:

TullyBascombe wrote:PhD., MD., Board Certified in Internal Medicine

An impressive list of letters and yet you still think light bulbs are to blame.......

It's a well documented process in a number of species. How do you think mother nature tells birds when to migrate? Bears to fatten up for winter? How do you think mother nature tells most species when to mature or when to mate? There's a cluster of nerve cells in the brain called the Supraoptic nucleus. It receives collateral branches from the Optic nerve. It basically measures time by keeping track of the total amount of time an individual animal spends in light and it sends connections out to various centers in the central nervous system that use that information to control a variety of physiological processes, such as hormonal control, reproduction, sleep. Just out of curiosity, do you have an alternative theory as to how the brains of animals determine when to initiate puberty, sleep, migrate, or mate? If so, I'd like to know what your credentials are.
Oh, I don't think I mentioned that my PhD was in the neurosciences.

Me, I'm a nuclear physicist at CERN.

Truth is nobody knows - plenty of speculative ideas but even people with up to date PHD's don't really know. Personally my pet theory is diet.

Anyway what's with all this nature business? I thought you were religious so surely the answer is God?

Actually the role of the Supraoptic nucleus in the control of circadian rhythms and the regulation of temporal processes in mammals is really quite well documented, well enough that most biologists wouldn't consider it a mere theory. Your area of study is theoretical physics right? That's a far cry from neurobiology. Come to think of it, when I think about physicists dabbling in the biological sciences I'm reminded of Linus Pauling concocting the profusely discredited Vitamin C cure for the common cold and William Shockley's overtly bigoted theories on intelligence. Physicists who dabble in the biological sciences often come to no good.
Your second statement was nothing but a cheap shot by someone who apparently has very little knowledge about the predominant Christian denomination in his own country. Anglicans in general don't reject science.

Tully, you're so touchy it's no fun playing with you.

And wouldn't a scientist know that a scientific Theory is a actually a fact proven by experimentation & observation? As to a cheap shot that would only apply to fundamental Christians who are still think that the 'theory' of evolution means that it isn't proven because they misunderstand the language of science. I must say it is a rare privilege to meet somebody who is highly educated in natural sciences & still believes in a Creator. Most of the ones I come across have descended into cynicism.

More power to you

Ah, you just don't know Yorkie. I'm a regular at a couple of general forums. Whenever the discussions turn to topics like evolution, separation of church and state, women's rights, gender equality, the "War on Christmas", etc., etc., etc., if you're already known to be an Anglican it doesn't matter which side you take. You'll be treated as the enemy by both sides. Evangelicals and conservative Roman Catholics will consider you to be a heretic and a traitor, atheists will consider you to be some sort of phony.

I've learned how to hold my own. We can't let moderation get driven off the field. The consequences are too terrible to consider.

Okay, back on topic guys. You can solve your personal differences somewhere else.
Thanks

I can't - its voice just changed, it would be embarassed

No, no, it would be just like in Monty Python!