On the Origin of Sex: The Weird and Wonderful Science of Reproduction

Sun (The Liars of Nature and the Nature of Liars), a biology professor at Central Washington University, provides an accessible overview of sexual reproduction in the natural world. Challenging the notion that sex is a fixed, binary process, he explores its origins and development to reveal “the intricate, often mind-bending biological world of sex and gender.” Sun presents possible reasons as to why sexual reproduction evolved, pointing to its value in repairing major DNA damage and the adaptive benefits of bringing diverse gene combinations together, and discusses different evolutionary strategies adopted by males and females (male traits have emerged to find and woo females, while females tend to focus on maximizing the survival of their eggs). Elsewhere, he notes the existence of species that change sex over the course of their lifetimes and points out that virgin birth—females reproducing with no males in sight—has been found to occur in over 80 vertebrate species. Sun also asserts it is overly simplistic to say that in humans there are only males and females since intersex individuals exist, with a modest estimate showing there are at least 80 million of them worldwide. He shares a good deal of current research on the subject and enlivens the account with intriguing details, though little will be new to well-informed readers. Still, it’s a solid primer for the uninitiated. (June)