Proportioning Of Sex?

[Vastator]

A question I've often wondered...
How does nature control the equal production rate of the sexes? How does it know when to make a baby, a boy or a girl? What mechanism is in place that prevents a run of bad luck like say... 20 years of only males being born? If sexing were totally random this would be a very real possibility. By what environmental cues does the human body "know" what sex is needed to keep the species going?

 

[Slade3200]

I think God just tells the stork what to deliver depending on existing inventory and supply/demand.

I think the law of randomization says that over time there will be an equal balance... just like flipping a coin or betting on red/black. It all evens up in the long run.

 

[Pete7469]

You could do what the chinese did and kill almost all of your baby girls because your beloved nanny state only allows you to have one child.

 

[Vastator]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

 

[Dekster]

A question I've often wondered...
How does nature control the equal production rate of the sexes? How does it know when to make a baby, a boy or a girl? What mechanism is in place that prevents a run of bad luck like say... 20 years of only males being born? If sexing were totally random this would be a very real possibility. By what environmental cues does the human body "know" what sex is needed to keep the species going?

Having only two genders and requiring both to reproduce combined with the different types of sperm

 

[flacaltenn]

A question I've often wondered...
How does nature control the equal production rate of the sexes? How does it know when to make a baby, a boy or a girl? What mechanism is in place that prevents a run of bad luck like say... 20 years of only males being born? If sexing were totally random this would be a very real possibility. By what environmental cues does the human body "know" what sex is needed to keep the species going?

In some reptiles the temperature of the eggs determine the sex. In humans --- it's less interesting.

Start here --- Look at the odds of making an XX or XY --- and you'll get it..

 

[flacaltenn]

BTW ---- like a coin toss or a bad night at the roulette table --- you can get a big run of either sex before you "peter out".

 

[ogibillm]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

large sample size.

 

[Dekster]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

large sample size.

More than that. Studies show that when the number of males in relation to females in a population gets too high, violence wars and such are almost insured to cull the males. Basically testosterone plays out in other than the bedroom.

 

[Vastator]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

large sample size.

More than that. Studies show that when the number of males in relation to females in a population gets too high, violence wars and such are almost insured to cull the males. Basically testosterone plays out in other than the bedroom.

Thats what Im was looking for. There has to be more than coin toss luck to it. Take small island populations for instance. That's a small sample, and yet it balances out. How?

 

[JakeStarkey]

infanticide, particularly of girls, have been around since the beginning.

 

[JakeStarkey]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

large sample size.

More than that. Studies show that when the number of males in relation to females in a population gets too high, violence wars and such are almost insured to cull the males. Basically testosterone plays out in other than the bedroom.

Thats what Im was looking for. There has to be more than coin toss luck to it. Take small island populations for instance. That's a small sample, and yet it balances out. How?

Violence and immigration. Also taking women from other tribes. The Romans went and swiped the Sabine wives. In North America after the introduction of Europeans, "mourning" wars occurred, as the tribes attacked each other to replace breedable women as well as children to raise as their own.

 

[Slade3200]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

I'm sure there are streaks but the odds of a streak lasting long enough for it even to be noticeable with the massive amounts of children born each day, is statistically improbable

 

[Vastator]

All good suggestions. I was just wondering if any research has been done on the subject. It is kind of a phenomenon. As in it just happens. But no one really seems to know how.

 

[Vastator]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

I'm sure there are streaks but the odds of a streak lasting long enough for it even to be noticeable with the massive amounts of children born each day, is statistically improbable

True but look at smaller population samples. Endangered species for instance. Those on the "brink". Once conditions favor a comeback; they come back. But a bad streak would end them. This hasn't ever seemed to have happened. There has to be something more to it.

 

[Dekster]

All good suggestions. I was just wondering if any research has been done on the subject. It is kind of a phenomenon. As in it just happens. But no one really seems to know how.

Valerie Hudson and Andrea den Boer did a study that found that when the young people gender ratio gets above 120 males to every 100 females the society becomes unstable and that is where you see your crime, war, terrorism. You can google a link based on the info I provided to try to find the original study if you need it for something other than internet time-passing curiosity.

 

[Vastator]

All good suggestions. I was just wondering if any research has been done on the subject. It is kind of a phenomenon. As in it just happens. But no one really seems to know how.

Valerie Hudson and Andrea den Boer did a study that found that when the young people gender ratio gets above 120 males to every 100 females the society becomes unstable and that is where you see your crime, war, terrorism. You can google a link based on the info I provided to try to find the original study if you need it for something other than internet time-passing curiosity.

If that theory holds true China should erupt violently any day now. But they seem to be holding strong. And peaceful for the most part.

 

[Slade3200]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

I'm sure there are streaks but the odds of a streak lasting long enough for it even to be noticeable with the massive amounts of children born each day, is statistically improbable

True but look at smaller population samples. Endangered species for instance. Those on the "brink". Once conditions favor a comeback; they come back. But a bad streak would end them. This hasn't ever seemed to have happened. There has to be something more to it.

It is very interesting, would love to see any good studies done. I was recently camping in Utah and learned of a lizard that lives in those parts, the females developed the ability to reproduce on their own and all the males died off... Now only females exist

 

[Vastator]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

I'm sure there are streaks but the odds of a streak lasting long enough for it even to be noticeable with the massive amounts of children born each day, is statistically improbable

True but look at smaller population samples. Endangered species for instance. Those on the "brink". Once conditions favor a comeback; they come back. But a bad streak would end them. This hasn't ever seemed to have happened. There has to be something more to it.

It is very interesting, would love to see any good studies done. I was recently camping in Utah and learned of a lizard that lives in those parts, the females developed the ability to reproduce on their own and all the males died off... Now only females exist

I've heard of that. They're born pregnant.

 

[konradv]

But even in randomization you can get a streak. That doesn't seen to happen in nature.

That's because of the high numbers involved. Streaks depend on low numbers.