Neanderthals were 'adults by 15'
From an article on the BBC News web site by Paul Rincon, published 28th April 2004:
The Neanderthals reached adulthood at the tender age of 15 according to a report in the journal Nature.
French and Spanish researchers analysed growth records preserved in the teeth of Neanderthals, modern humans and two other human species.
Breaks in the deposition of crown enamel reveal how fast teeth grow.
Neanderthals formed their crowns 15% quicker than we do, reaching adulthood when modern humans of the same age were still floundering in adolescence.