The Evolution of Sex Essay -- Reproductive Science

Introduction Life on Earth is all about sex. But sex is far more attributable to our animalistic instincts than many humans even realize. Animals and human beings, alike, go through unimaginable things to ensure their genes are passed on for another generation. The one goal in most species’ lives is to reproduce so that some parts of their DNA or genes get handed down. Clearly without reproduction and sex, which are distinctly different terms, the species would become extinct. Because of this inescapable fact, the evolution of sex is a very important topic. One may say that sex drives evolution and evolution drives nature, which in turn makes sex the center of existence. When examining the evolution of sex there are many different topics and facts to be looked at closely. This paper will give a brief description of the history of sexual reproduction and how it has evolved over the past 600 million years. Next, a discussion on Darwin’s theories of natural selection and sexual selection and their role in evolutionary theory will be presented. In addition, this paper will include a thorough examination of the different forms of reproduction; the history, current state, and future of human sexual reproduction; and various other interesting topics relating to the evolution of sex. Reproduction Wilson (1975) notes that an individual organism is part of an elaborate device that ensures the survival and replication of genes with the least possible biochemical alteration. Being that reproduction is thought to be one of the primary reasons for existence for many species, it is important to investigate its role in the evolution of sex. Webster defines reproduction as the act or process by which plants and animals give rise to offsp... .... (2007). Evolutionary analysis (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall. Neiman, M., Hehman, G., Miller, G., Logsdon, Jr., J., & Taylor, D. (2009). Accelerated Mutation Accumulation in Asexual Lineages of a Freshwater Snail. Molecular Biology and Evolution, 27(4): 954-963.DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msp300 Schuiling, G. (2005). On Sexual Behavior and Sex-role Reversal. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynecology, 26(3): 217-223 The Evolution of Sexual Reproduction. (n.d.). The Journal of Evolutionary Philosophy - Evolution and Meaning. Web. 22 Nov. 2015. http://www.evolutionary-philosophy.net/sex.html WhyEvolutionIsTrue. Evolve: Sex history channel [video]. (2011, April 04). Web. 20 Nov. 2015. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO7Y61bn_MQ Wilson, E., (1975). Sociobiology: The new synthesis. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University