Are men obsolete?
Just Me
Parthenogenesis is the term used to describe the process by which
certain animals are able to reproduce themselves in successive female
generations without intervention of a male of the species.
Now, thanks to advances in human genetics, two human female ova can be
combined to create a human zygote (fertilized egg). A method used in
Europe by lesbian couples that is gaining popularity. This process will
always produce females as an egg always has an X chromosome and two X's
produce a female offspring.
Does this mean that men are obsolete?
Rob Cooper
Just Me (mind...@worldnet.att.net) wr
: Now, thanks to advances in human genetics, two human female ova can be
: combined to create a human zygote (fertilized egg). A method used in
: Europe by lesbian couples that is gaining popularity. This process will
: always produce females as an egg always has an X chromosome and two X's
: produce a female offspring.
: Does this mean that men are obsolete?
If you're a lesbian, yes.
--
Rob Cooper
No electrons were harmed during the making of this article.
Matt Beckwith
Just Me <mind...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>Now, thanks to advances in human genetics, two human female ova can be
>combined to create a human zygote (fertilized egg). A method used in
>Europe by lesbian couples that is gaining popularity.
>
>Does this mean that men are obsolete?
Probably there's some cosmic purpose to the existence of men. Thus,
without men there would probably evolve women with testosterone.
Peter J. I. Ellis
Stuart Norris <nor...@me.su.oz.au> wrote;
>
> Just Me (mind...@worldnet.att.net) expounded:
> :
> : Now, thanks to advances in human genetics, two human female ova can be
> : combined to create a human zygote (fertilized egg). A method used in
> : will always produce females as an egg always has an X chromosome and
>
> Look in the 03/05/97 issue of New Scientist on this matter. Using
> two mice ova to create a zygote doesn't work. More interestingly, it
> seems that the mouse cortex is built using the maternal genes, whilst
> the hypothalamus, amygdala, the preoptic area and the septum use the
> paternal genes.
>
Also, in other experiments of this kind, there is evidence to suggest that
paternal chromosomes are active in production of the placental membranes,
while maternal chromosomes direct the early development of the
embryoblast.
Specifically, if a zygote is created using female chromosomes only, an
embryo will develop, but none of the extra-embryonic membranes form, and
thus the embryo does not implant. In the opposite case, where a zygote is
formed by fusion of two male pronuclei, the membranes are present, but no
embryo develops. This is the aetiology of hyatidiform moles (the case of
partial hyatidiform moles is also sometimes seen; where the embryo is
triploid, with a doubled paternal contribution of genes)
Peter
Xeno
On Mon, 26 May 1997, Just Me wrote:
> Parthenogenesis is the term used to describe the process by which
> certain animals are able to reproduce themselves in successive female
> generations without intervention of a male of the species.
>
> Now, thanks to advances in human genetics, two human female ova can be
> combined to create a human zygote (fertilized egg). A method used in
> Europe by lesbian couples that is gaining popularity. This process will
> always produce females as an egg always has an X chromosome and two X's
> produce a female offspring.
>
> Does this mean that men are obsolete?
>
I think you must have got this wrong i have not hear of this 'method'
of reproduction. Also for a zygote to develop past a few days (male/male)
or few weeks (female/female) (don't know exactly how long in humans
studies are illegal in most countries, for humans) you need both male and
female derived DNA in the zygote. This is due to the fact DNA from both
mothers and fathers is Imprinted, this means that some genes are active
in the female (or male) derived DNA but not the other parentaly derived DNA.
Some genetic diseases are caused by Imprinting problems (for very small
pieces of DNA, at most a small chunk of a chromosome).
Martin Veasey
On Mon, 26 May 1997 21:57:05 -0700, Just Me <mind...@worldnet.att.net>
wrote:
> Now, thanks to advances in human genetics, two human female ova can be
> combined to create a human zygote (fertilized egg). A method used in
> Europe by lesbian couples that is gaining popularity. This process will
> always produce females as an egg always has an X chromosome and two X's
> produce a female offspring.
Good troll, congratulations!
Of course artificial insemination by donor is the chosen method amongst
single sex (and infertile) couples in Europe, as it's:
cheaper
legal
and practically feasible
more than "parthenogenesis"
--
Martin Veasey
martin@cheam.d*spam*emon.co.uk
(Apologies for the anti-spam security measure above,
please remove *spam* from my address before replying)
Keith M Ellis
Hugh Gibbons <hgib...@stic.net> spake thusly:
> Men will never be obsolete. They will always remain the cheapest and
> most obtainable source of fertilization. A technology becomes obsolete
> only when replaced by a superior technology. You can't
> throwing in a free dinner or even an option for exclusive liscense,
> with fringes.
Given that you are attempting an economic quantification of the problem,
why exactly are you so sure that a man is less expensive than a
technological procedure?
If one *fully* accepts the idea of biological sex differentiation
manifested behaviorally (I don't), then given the the costs associated
with violent crime, war, blah blah blah, then a case could be made that
doing away with men would be *far* more cost effective than keeping them
around and using a technological procedure for procreation.
-Keith
Hugh Gibbons
So what? The balance still favors having men around when you add it up.
Jeffrey Jackson
On Wed, 28 May 1997, Martin Veasey wrote:
>
> On Mon, 26 May 1997 21:57:05 -0700, Just Me <mind...@worldnet.att.net>
> wrote:
>
> > Now, thanks to advances in human genetics, two human female ova can be
> > combined to create a human zygote (fertilized egg). A method used in
> > Europe by lesbian couples that is gaining popularity. This process will
> > always produce females as an egg always has an X chromosome and two X's
> > produce a female offspring.
>
> Good troll, congratulations!
>
> Of course artificial insemination by donor is the chosen method amongst
> single sex (and infertile) couples in Europe, as it's:
>
> cheaper
> legal
> and practically feasible
>
> more than "parthenogenesis"
>
The described procedure isn't true parthenogenesis (obviously you knew
this -- did the troller? I can't remember.) True parthenogenesis is a
natural process in which an haploid ovum replicates
all of its chromosomes (mechanism unknown, at least to me,) thus becoming
diploid and developing from there -- no sperm required. I believe there
is a species of lizard that reproduces in this manner and is consequently
entirely female.
Of course these embryos would be homozygous at every gene locus so if
none of the maternal genes are homozygous lethal (no mean feat) they
should develop perfectly normally.
Jeff
Brian Mueller
Just Me wrote:
[snipped things that I am accepting as true for the sake of argument]
>
>Does this mean that men are obsolete?
No, because not all women are lesbians.
Humans are sentient beings, and for humans, there is more purpose to
sex than reproduction (or, there should be, in my opinion).
Hence, men and women are as fuel and air are to fire; without both,
fire can't be made.
rsknapp
Matt Beckwith wrote:
>
> Just Me <mind...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>
> >Now, thanks to advances in human genetics, two human female ova can be
> >combined to create a human zygote (fertilized egg). A method used in
> >Europe by lesbian couples that is gaining popularity.
> >
>
> without men there would probably evolve women with testosterone.
which dealt with a world in which there were no men; such women as
described above assumed the agressive role.