“Sex is a battlefield,” are the opening words of History’s 2008 scientific
documentary, “Evolve,” that couldn’t have been more fitting given the short film’s focus
on sex — its evolution and the role it plays in the perpetuation of life on Earth. Indeed,
from a biologist’s perspective, the purpose of life is to procreate — to pass on your
genes to the next generation — or else your species will come to a dead-end. The verity
of this statement is evidenced by many living organisms that go through every extreme
to mate, thus ensuring the survival of their lineage. Pondering over the entirety of the
documentary, one can undeniably concede that “evolution drives sex” and at the same
time, “sex drives evolution.”
“Sex is a battlefield,” are the opening words of History’s 2008 scientific
documentary, “Evolve,” that couldn’t have been more fitting given the short film’s focus
on sex — its evolution and the role it plays in the perpetuation of life on Earth. Indeed,
from a biologist’s perspective, the purpose of life is to procreate — to pass on your
genes to the next generation — or else your species will come to a dead-end. The verity
of this statement is evidenced by many living organisms that go through every extreme
to mate, thus ensuring the survival of their lineage. Pondering over the entirety of the
documentary, one can undeniably concede that “evolution drives sex” and at the same
time, “sex drives evolution.”
“Sex is a battlefield,” are the opening words of History’s 2008 scientific
documentary, “Evolve,” that couldn’t have been more fitting given the short film’s focus
on sex — its evolution and the role it plays in the perpetuation of life on Earth. Indeed,
from a biologist’s perspective, the purpose of life is to procreate — to pass on your
genes to the next generation — or else your species will come to a dead-end. The verity
of this statement is evidenced by many living organisms that go through every extreme
to mate, thus ensuring the survival of their lineage. Pondering over the entirety of the
documentary, one can undeniably concede that “evolution drives sex” and at the same
time, “sex drives evolution.”
Sex is a battlefield, are the opening words of Historys 2008 scientific documentary, Evolve, that couldnt have been more fitting given the short films focus on sex its evolution and the role it plays in the perpetuation of life on Earth. Indeed, from a biologists perspective, the purpose of life is to procreate to pass on your genes to the next generation or else your species will come to a dead-end. The verity of this statement is evidenced by many living organisms that go through every extreme to mate, thus ensuring the survival of their lineage. Pondering over the entirety of the documentary, one can undeniably concede that evolution drives sex and at the same time, sex drives evolution. Throughout time, countless biological systems from the simple single-celled organisms to complex living forms have evolved various mechanisms to maximize their chances of survival in the planet. Seven hundred million years ago, the first traces of life appeared in the form of unicellular marine life forms whose strategy of reproduction is asexualthat is making copies of themselves (duplication) and sending them off to the environment. In such way, they could multiply relatively quickly with incredible ease. Asexual species, however, are not as abundant in nature as sexual species, which require partner of the opposite sex to produce offspring. Essentially, this strategy is more biologically expensive and less efficient, yet is still much more common within the animal world. In the documentary, Dan Rinkin, Research Associate in Brown Universitys Evolutionary Biology Department answered this conundrum: The one serious flaw with organisms having the same DNA, as in asexual species, is that they also share the same genetic weak spots. True enough, sexual reproduction underscores the significance of genetic diversity, in which evolutionary natural selection acts upon individual genetic traits, not to the entire genetic makeup of an organism. As primarily featured in the documentary, members of the Animal Kingdom evolved not only in terms of their mode of reproduction, but more so with their sexual structures, to keep up with the changing faces of natural selection, hence protecting their descent from extinction. This scientific claim was largely supported by biologists whose investigations even trace hundred years back, when the only form of sex at work Sex and Evolution was the simple mass spawning of gametes by coral polyps, until the pioneer development of reproductive organs and internal fertilization, first seen and observed among sharks. Furthermore, the documentary, at extensive measures, took an in-depth account on the sex life of one of the biggest literally and figuratively mysteries of science: the dinosaurs. Supplemented by evidences of numerous fossil records, this particular subject of evolutionary physiology is widely elaborated in the documentary in a profoundly scientific manner, by supplying pertinent data of vertebrate paleontologists ascertaining that dinosaurs did have sex, albeit unbelievable that seems. Yet, no matter how successful dinosaurs were in finding a way to breed and populate, their heredity was completely eradicated due to a non-evolutionary incident the strike of an asteroid onto the Gulf of Mexico which turned the entire planet into a wasteland. Owing to this, the only organisms believed to survive then earths terrible conditions were the insects, which were the instigators of the concept of sexual selection. Through sexual selection, it is ensured that the next generation will acquire the best genetic traits that will allow them to adapt and survive in their environment, and to perpetuate their species. Amazingly, insects were the first in the Animal Kingdom to manifest this sort of behavior. Truth be told, the distinct sexual behavior of insects, especially exhibited by cockroaches and bees, is the product of an accumulation of beneficial mutations in their nerve cells over the course of evolution, which propels the insect to react in instinctual manner when stimulated by certain reproductive sensations. Detailed accounts of different types of insects sexual behavior are tackled in the documentary, with matching proofs and explication as to why they perform such sexual rituals when mating. Conversely, the short film also contrasted the sexual behavior among mammals, with their relatively higher order mental skills, which scientists deem to govern both biological instinct and learned manners and habit, in terms of their sexual behavior. Without a doubt, sexual behavior, ranging from basic reproductive means to outrageous sexual practices among myriad of animals, is a key factor in creating a generation consisting of best-fit species for survival. Indeed, the evolution of sex through the course of history is an arduous matter to discuss. Watching a forty-five minute scientific documentary may not be that adequate Sex and Evolution to answer all the lurking questions in the back of ones mind, yet, it is already sufficient to cover the salient points on how essential sexual reproduction is in the survival of many species, which, in turn, facilitate the evolution of next generation of organisms on Earth. And as nature has long established since the beginning of time, evolution is of utmost importance to continue the life in this dynamic planet. Like what the documentary firmly stands, Without sex, a species is history.