The writer is a science commentator
From a purely evolutionary point of view, we older women are a mystery. We serve no apparent purpose because we cannot reproduce after the menopause, which usually happens between the ages of 45 and 55. Yet here we are, merrily hanging about for decades afterwards and routinely outliving men.
One touted explanation for this enigma is the “grandmother hypothesis”: that older women help to look after grandchildren, which hones the chances of their own genes being passed on. But this rationale is now under scrutiny: last week, scientists reported that while female chimpanzees also underwent the menopause, they were not observed caring for grandchildren.
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