What alternative sex-determining system will we adapt?
The sex of human and other mammal babies is decided by a male-determining gene on the Y chromosome. But the human Y chromosome is degenerating and may disappear in a few million years, leading to our extinction unless we evolve a new sex gene.
A new paper in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science shows how the spiny rat has evolved a new male-determining gene.
Usis/iStock.
The good news is two branches of rodents have already lost their Y chromosome and have lived to tell the tale.
Comments are closed.