SCIENCE / Sexual Milestones
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.1884 August Weismann points out that sex is not essential for reproduction.
1930-32 R A Fisher and H J Muller independently explain sex as a mechanism for spreading genetic innovations.
1964 'Muller's Ratchet' theory devised to explain why genetic defects accumulate unless countered by sex. This revises an old idea that sex has a rejuvenating effect on the species.
1966 In a book called Adaptation and Natural Selection, Professor George Williams attacks the idea that sex could be good for the species but bad for the individual.
1978 John Maynard Smith publishes The Evolution of Sex, a book that expresses the increasing bafflement of biologists.
1980 William Hamilton and others independently argue that sex is a mechanism for perpetually changing genetic defences against parasites: the Red Queen theory.
1990-93 Experiments by Curtis Lively and simulations by Hamilton and others provide more backing for Red Queen theory.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments