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John Leonard
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 Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 10:16 am Post subject: Two questions about sex: |
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I have read that the number of males born annually relative to that of the
number of females, in the human population, is approximately a constant of
51/49. Since males are at a greater risk of death this difference might help
promote a more equal distribution at the time of fertility.
My first question is this: how is this proportion maintained? I am at a loss
to understand how it could be maintained except through feedback. If this is
so, by what means does this feedback assert itself? Is it, for instance,
conceivable that we unconsciously modulate the likelihood of male versus
female birth via observations made in our brains?
My second question is this: In lions we see social groups (i.e. prides) in
which females outnumber males by several-to-one. Our species has a more
one-to-one ratio. First, is there a difference in the birth ratios of
females to males between lions and humans? Certainly, a male lion fights
more for the simple opportunity to reproduce than we do. Is there in fact a
difference between the nature of male competition between lions and humans?
Is it that lions compete more for the simple opportunity to reproduce
whereas humans compete more for the most highly prized females?
John Leonard |
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Nim
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 11:26 am Post subject: Re: Two questions about sex: |
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Not sure about the 1st question, but the 2nd, lions have estrus, humans do
not. Male lions kill other males and their offspring because it makes the
female go into estrus. He reproduces with her and has offspring.
"John Leonard" <jleonard2_but_no_spam@si.rr.com> wrote in message
news:eQxAb.171599$ri.24512606@twister.nyc.rr.com...
[quote]I have read that the number of males born annually relative to that of the
number of females, in the human population, is approximately a constant of
51/49. Since males are at a greater risk of death this difference might
help
promote a more equal distribution at the time of fertility.
My first question is this: how is this proportion maintained? I am at a
loss
to understand how it could be maintained except through feedback. If this
is
so, by what means does this feedback assert itself? Is it, for instance,
conceivable that we unconsciously modulate the likelihood of male versus
female birth via observations made in our brains?
My second question is this: In lions we see social groups (i.e. prides) in
which females outnumber males by several-to-one. Our species has a more
one-to-one ratio. First, is there a difference in the birth ratios of
females to males between lions and humans? Certainly, a male lion fights
more for the simple opportunity to reproduce than we do. Is there in fact
a
difference between the nature of male competition between lions and
humans?
Is it that lions compete more for the simple opportunity to reproduce
whereas humans compete more for the most highly prized females?
John Leonard
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Eliza
Guest
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| Posted: Sun Dec 07, 2003 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: Two questions about sex: |
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[quote]I have read that the number of males born annually relative to that of the
number of females, in the human population, is approximately a constant of
51/49. Since males are at a greater risk of death this difference might help
promote a more equal distribution at the time of fertility.
My first question is this: how is this proportion maintained? I am at a loss
to understand how it could be maintained except through feedback. If this is
so, by what means does this feedback assert itself? Is it, for instance,
conceivable that we unconsciously modulate the likelihood of male versus
female birth via observations made in our brains?
[/quote]
I have a feeling that the answer is most likely as simple as pure chance. It>s
like flipping a coin. If you flip the coin enough times 50% of the time, it>ll
land on Heads. Now imagine flipping that coin billions of times. Male/Female;
you have a 50/50 chance of getting either. That is of course excluding the rare
chances the coin doesn>t land on it>s edge. |
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Martin Phipps
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| Posted: Mon Dec 08, 2003 8:48 am Post subject: Re: Two questions about sex: |
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"John Leonard" <jleonard2_but_no_spam@si.rr.com> wrote in message news:<eQxAb.171599$ri.24512606@twister.nyc.rr.com>...
[quote]I have read that the number of males born annually relative to that of the
number of females, in the human population, is approximately a constant of
51/49. Since males are at a greater risk of death this difference might help
promote a more equal distribution at the time of fertility.
My first question is this: how is this proportion maintained? I am at a loss
to understand how it could be maintained except through feedback. If this is
so, by what means does this feedback assert itself? Is it, for instance,
conceivable that we unconsciously modulate the likelihood of male versus
female birth via observations made in our brains?
[/quote]
There are more males than females at the time of birth because human
male sperm swims faster. I remember this from my high school biology
text.
[quote]My second question is this: In lions we see social groups (i.e. prides) in
which females outnumber males by several-to-one. Our species has a more
one-to-one ratio. First, is there a difference in the birth ratios of
females to males between lions and humans? Certainly, a male lion fights
more for the simple opportunity to reproduce than we do. Is there in fact a
difference between the nature of male competition between lions and humans?
Is it that lions compete more for the simple opportunity to reproduce
whereas humans compete more for the most highly prized females?
[/quote]
Do you want us to speculate? It could be that female lions
participate in hunting as much as male lions if not more so male lions
are only needed for reproduction. Having more female lions might be
an advantage for lions whereas for humans it works out that there are
as many men as women if the men are the only ones participating in
hunting. It>s kind of sad, really. I don>t think many men would
complain if there was a two-to-one ratio of females to men in the
human population.
Martin |
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Neil
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Dec 10, 2003 4:40 pm Post subject: Re: Two questions about sex: |
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[quote]I have a feeling that the answer is most likely as simple as pure chance. It>s
like flipping a coin. If you flip the coin enough times 50% of the time, it>ll
land on Heads. Now imagine flipping that coin billions of times. Male/Female;
you have a 50/50 chance of getting either. That is of course excluding the rare
chances the coin doesn>t land on it>s edge.
[/quote]
The laws of probability show that when flipping coin, you will not get
a 50/50 ratio of heads to tales. One side is always a little more
likely. |
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MIB529
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 1:50 pm Post subject: Re: Two questions about sex: |
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willywaters@yahoo.com (Neil) wrote in message news:<1b573ab6.0312100240.aef6118@posting.google.com>...
[quote]I have a feeling that the answer is most likely as simple as pure chance. It>s
like flipping a coin. If you flip the coin enough times 50% of the time, it>ll
land on Heads. Now imagine flipping that coin billions of times. Male/Female;
you have a 50/50 chance of getting either. That is of course excluding the rare
chances the coin doesn>t land on it>s edge.
The laws of probability show that when flipping coin, you will not get
a 50/50 ratio of heads to tales. One side is always a little more
likely.
[/quote]
About 40/60 in favor of tails. |
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Eliza
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Dec 11, 2003 3:42 pm Post subject: Re: Two questions about sex: |
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[quote]The laws of probability show that when flipping coin, you will not get
a 50/50 ratio of heads to tales. One side is always a little more
likely.
About 40/60 in favor of tails.
[/quote]
Yeah, and if a slot machine pays out a good sized jackpot, you should move to
another machine. Neither of these really had much bearing on the subject.
Fortunately I was going for a simpler explination without including any excess
variables. Even in human reproduction, there are numerous variables which can
effect the outcome of an end result. But then you go into the messy subjects of
transgendered and intersexed people in those cases. The coin landing on it>s
edge so to speak.
The point of my earlier post was that I doubt there>s any subconscious or
visual or any other cues which limit offspring to a certian number of sexes
within the mix. We>re not frogs after all. We don>t change sex because there
are too many females in the pond. Nor are we Gators who>s sex development is
dependant on the temperature of the nest mound.
Also, if you want to go with balanced probability, use a random number
generator set at 2 digits. Sure it will most likely end up with a 49:51 or
similar ratio, but then, that>s the estimate of sexes in the Human population,
isn>t it? |
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