Searching for signs of picky, competitive mating in a whole other kingdom

Searching for signs of picky, competitive mating in a whole other kingdom

The term “bar fight” does not actually appear in Saila Varis’ recent paper in the journal Trees or in her Ph.D. dissertation on the Scots pine. But she’s a good sport about discussing whether her research suggests that tree pollen grains have their own versions of nose-punching brawls over female favor. After all, pollen grains from genetically different trees of the same species appear to be able to sabotage each other’s race to a mate, says Varis, of the Finnish Forest Research Institute near Helsinki. Though it is not exactly like a bar fight, she says, there are hints of male-versus-male competition

Worms Can Evolve to Survive Intersex Populations

Worms Can Evolve to Survive Intersex Populations

Sexually reproducing species need at least two sexes in order to produce offspring, but there are many ways that nature produces different sexes. Many animals (including humans and other mammals) use a chromosomal sex determination system in which females have two X chromosomes, while males have one X and one Y.

Sex explains why the fit don't always survive

Sex explains why the fit don't always survive

 New research from The Australian National University has shown how genetic variation persists through generations, rather than being bred out in an evolution towards a ‘perfect type’.

Are boys’ brains different from girls’ brains? Scientists debate the question.

Are boys’ brains different from girls’ brains? Scientists debate the question.


Are male brains different from female brains? If so, how? And does it matter? This week, five researchers debated these questions at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Their panel session, “The Promise and Peril of Research on Sex Differences,” didn’t settle the controversy, because it isn’t binary, and evidence is complex. But the exchange did clarify common mistakes to watch out for. Here’s a guide.

Women see naked men differently too

Link: Women see naked men differently too

(There isn’t much in the news today…)

COLLEGE PARK, Md – For both men and women, wearing revealing attire causes them to be seen as more sensitive but less competent, says a new study by University of Maryland psychologist Kurt Gray and colleagues from Yale and Northeastern University.

In an article just published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, the researchers write that it would be absurd to think people’s mental capacities fundamentally change when they remove clothing. “In six studies, however, we show that taking off a sweater—or otherwise revealing flesh—can significantly change the way a mind is perceived.”

Past research, feminist theory and parental admonishments all have long suggested that when men see a woman wearing little or nothing, they focus on her body and think less of her mind. The new findings by Gray, et al. both expand and change our understanding of how paying attention to someone’s body can alter how both men and women view both women and men.