Are men going to become extinct? Some experts give males 5 million years, but one Chinese-led team says there is still hope
Fragility of male sex chromosome has caused it to shed more than 900 genes over the course of evolution, but one recently discovered protective mechanism may yet save the day
The male sex chromosome, which is notoriously fragile, has been shedding genes over the course of human evolution, leading some scientists to fret that male babies will no longer be born in 5 million years’ time.
While this may sound far-fetched, the animal kingdom throws up some scary precedents. Whiptail lizards are a case in point: they have already evolved into a self-sustaining species composed entirely of females.
Moreover, women live longer than men (73.5 years vs. 68.5 years on average).
Others believe that, before such a perfectly matriarchal society could ever come to fruition on a global scale, the earth would be destroyed by nuclear Armageddon, a renegade asteroid, worldwide pestilence - or the machines will take over.
But even if the world does die, mankind takes to the skies in search of a new planetary home, and robots remain pets and personal assistants, women are unlikely to ever see men completely phased out, according to a reassuring new study by Chinese and other scientists.