Eros and Evolution: A Natural Philosophy of Sex

Why should sex exist at all, given the enormous time, energy and resources required to find and keep mates, the risks of infectious diseases and the millennia of nonsexual forms of reproduction that serve sponges, bacteria, viruses, some lizards, etc.? Unlike other scientists who tout the benefits of genetic diversity, Michod argues that sex evolved as an elaborate system to overcome and eliminate genetic errors-both damage and mutations-that threaten life. His discussion of the DNA mechanisms underlying these processes is sometimes technical, yet this elegantly written, thought-provoking narrative will intrigue nonspecialists and specialists alike. Professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Arizona, Michod stresses that because of sexual reproduction, organisms are of fleeting existence, each born unique and soon to die, each a temporary repository of genetic information that is shaped by evolution. He also uses computer modeling to support his thesis that sexual reproduction helps explain the emergence of distinct species, a phenomenon that baffled Darwin. Illustrated. (Feb.)