Loading...
Why there is sex is a fundamental biological question, as males are, in many senses, superfluous. This last statement is not a Cheers- or Seinfeld-style tirade, but resides at the heart of evolutionary thought. Females by parthenogenesis or hermaphrodites can reproduce quite well without male partners. After contributing their DNA, males of many species don't care for the young, may destroy those young, use up the food supply and space, and hog the remote control. There is sex because males allow “outcrossing” (i.e., mating to introduce new genetic material to the zygote). Because the environment changes frequently, new and often recombined genetic material is best for survival. In the often escalating race between spec…