The Biology of Sex

"Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution," said Theodosius Dobzhansky. Sex is terribly impractical and requires significant energy and time investment in finding a suitable partner. To avoid engaging in sex "in vain" with representatives of other species (or rocks), living organisms have to develop complex recognition systems, as well as signaling systems that allow them to distinguish and choose the most suitable partners. Despite all this and the existence of such convenient alternatives as reproduction by simple division, vegetatively, budding, or parthenogenesis, sex involving two individuals is ubiquitous in nature. So what is sex from the point of view of evolutionary biology, why is it necessary, and how did it come about that we like those we like?

This will be discussed by candidate of biological sciences and science popularizer Alexander Panchin in a lecture that will take place on May 27 at 7:00 pm in the conference hall at Institutul Muncii, located at Strada Zimbrului 10, Chisinau.

The lecture will be held in Russian.