Of particular interest is the study of the body of a modern child from the point of view of the influence of hormonal status on the rate of puberty. The key ones are the period of second childhood and adolescence, during which intense somatic and sexual maturation occurs during hormonal regulation. The data discussed in the scientific literature of recent years on the peculiarities of individual development of representatives of the Middle Paleolithic can contribute to solving actual problems of studying the final stage of anthropogenesis. Evolutionary trends in the development of Homo sapiens Researchers of the evolutionary aspects of ontogenesis have emphasized that individual human development is characterized by a longer period of childhood and a delayed pubertal spurt of the hormone testosterone, which leads to a "stretch" in the time of puberty compared to non-hominid primates [Khrisanfova, 2004, p.24]. Lengthening the period of childhood can be considered as a selectively beneficial process from the point of view of social adaptation of hominids. In the course of evolution, the learning time required for the transfer of complex skills increased, in addition, infantile individuals caused less aggression on the part of adult members of society and in the long run had a better chance of survival, leaving their gene pool to their descendants [Bogin, 1997]. A recent study by M. Gurven and R. Walker [Gurven and Walker, 2006] discusses the energy aspects of the phenomenon of "slow human growth". The authors analyze the hypothesis that the slow growth of a Homo sapiens child in the period between weaning and puberty helps to reduce the energy costs of parents for maintaining non-independent offspring. If a human child grew faster at an early age, then this, according to M. Garven and R. Walker, would lead to a dramatic expenditure of energy for adult hunters and gatherers. A slow increase in size in childhood, followed by a rapid adolescent spurt, may have contribute ... Read more