Monthly Archives: June 2011

Eggs compete for sperm in an ancient plant species

Posted on June 28, 2011 by

Ever heard the saying “the exception that proves the rule”? Well, I never really understood what this is supposed to mean, but in biology, there are very few rules. Most everything is exceptions. One of the “rules” is that males … Continue reading →

Posted in Plant sex! | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Elephant females fake it to teach younger girls about sex

Posted on June 21, 2011 by

African elephant females have been observed to “fake it” sometimes, by pretending to be in heat (or oestrus) at times when they aren’t fertile. But why they do this is a mystery. New research from Lucy Bates and colleagues examined … Continue reading →

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Daughters get cheating gene from Dad

Posted on June 19, 2011 by

In honor of Father’s day, I have a story about fathers and daughters. Zebra finches are socially monogamous birds. This means that, like humans, they generally form lifetime relationships with a single partner. Also like many humans, they’re known to … Continue reading →

Posted in Sexual conflict | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Size matters for fruit flies

Posted on June 16, 2011 by

When males are competing with each other for fertilization of a female’s eggs, which counts more: the number of sperm, or the size of each sperm? You might wonder why a guy can’t have it all but, alas, nature does … Continue reading →

Posted in Evolution of sex, Insect reproduction | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Testosterone helps male singing mice woo their women

Posted on June 15, 2011 by

Many different kinds of birds sing to attract mates, but did you know that some mice do the same thing? Male Alston’s singing mice make a high-pitched trilling noise to call out to the females, “hey, ladies, I’m here, and … Continue reading →

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