Parasites May Have Had Role In Evolution Of Sex

[woodyear99]

Interesting theory indeed, pesky parasites.....

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/07/090706171542.htm

ScienceDaily (July 31, 2009) — What's so great about sex? From an evolutionary perspective, the answer is not as obvious as one might think. An article published in the July issue of the American Naturalist suggests that sex may have evolved in part as a defense against parasites.


Despite its central role in biology, sex is a bit of an evolutionary mystery. Reproducing without sex—like microbes, some plants and even a few reptiles—would seem like a better way to go. Every individual in an asexual species has the ability to reproduce on its own. But in sexual species, two individuals have to combine in order to reproduce one offspring. That gives each generation of asexuals twice the reproductive capacity of sexuals. Why then is sex the dominant strategy when the do-it-yourself approach is so much more efficient?

[Crixx_Creww]

iam a firm believer that parasites and viruses... possibly controlled by some unknown unseen programmer or overlord, are the catalyst for major steps in evolution. After reading larry niven's protector series it again makes so much sense!!

there was a discovery or nat geo documentary on the startling evidence that seems to suggest that viruses were responsible for alot of our mutations that brought us to where we are today.