Why Sex?

In evolutionary terms, sex is more important than life itself. Sex fuels evolutionary change by adding variation to the gene pool. The powerful urge to pass our genes on to the next generation has likely changed the face of human culture in ways we're only beginning to understand.

After some careful thought, the activity we were going to do today was more hands-on than minds-on, so... Instead we watched "Why Sex" from the PBS Evolution Series.

Students were asked to answer the following questions:

1. What makes the lizards unique?

2. They do so well, as all female species, why is there sex? Are males really necessary?

3. What is the biological reason for sexual reproduction?

4. Sonora, Mexico – What is the scientists studying?

5. What is the Red Queen Theory? Why is it called that?

6. Sex generates variability in a population.

7. Origins of Sex: How did it all begin?

8. “The sight of a Peacock makes me sick” —Darwin. Why did he say this?

9. What is sexual dimorphism?

10. What did the peacock experiments provide support for?

11. Explain behavioral traits v. physical traits

12. Song Birds – parenting, social monogamy & role reversal.

13. What are the two chimp populations that are studied?

14. What is one explanation given for why different behaviors have emerged in each population?

15. How is infanticide interrupted?