Holy moley. While a study earlier this year linked teen sex to misbehavin', a new study found that teens who had sex young were less, not more likely to engage in delinquent behavior later. In fact, losing the virginity at a tender age might contribute to the development of better adult relationships. Between this and the study that found pot-smoking teens got along better with peers, a) I feel like my entire adolescence has been vindicated (take that eighth grade guidance counselor!) and b) we should keep our eyes open for a study linking rock n' roll to improved SAT scores.

The research on identical twin pairs shows that twins lost their virginity at a similar age, possibly indicating a genetic component in the behavior. One possible theory is that risk-taking has genetic influences, and that early sex might absorb some of the attention of the kids who might otherwise be naughty. But lead author Harden offers this: "Our hypothesis as a result of this finding is that teens who become involved in intimate romantic relationships early are having sex early and more often, but that those intimate relationships might later protect them from becoming involved in delinquent acts later." I guess it's a short road from abstinence education to juvenile hall.