SCIENTISTS MAKE GAY WORMS
University of Utah biologists have genetically manipulated nematode worms so that the animals were attracted to other worms of the same sex – creating in essence “lesbian” worms.
The results bolster theories that sexual orientation is wired into our brains.
“They look like girls, but act and think like boys,” says Jamie White, a postdoctoral researcher and lead author of the new study. “The [same-sex attraction] behavior is part of the nervous system.”
The study will be published in the Current Biology journal in November.
“We cannot say what this means for human sexual orientation, but it raises the possibility that sexual preference is wired in the brain,” says laboratory leader and biology Professor Erik Jorgensen.
He adds that, “Humans are subject to evolutionary forces just like worms. It seems possible that if sexual orientation is genetically wired in worms, it would be in people too.”
Nematodes worms are millimeter-long worms that live in soil and eat bacteria. Because the same genes are found in many animals, nematodes, mice, zebrafish and fruit flies often are used as “models” for humans in research.
“People debate whether the brain is influenced by sexual hormones from the gonads or whether the behavior is derived from the brain alone,” Jorgensen says. “In this case, it’s clear the brain is sexualized.”
The belief that humans have a choice in deciding their sexuality is at the core of many conservative and religious attitudes towards gays and lesbians. Scientific evidence, however, is increasingly pointing to the conclusion that sexuality is biologically or genetically based and is not by choice or lifestyle.
Youre sexual blue print. As a gay 38 year old woman i have read so to say many articles or books regarding this Brain sex issue and i have come to rest with it that in some research article it was proofed or sounded like it that when you’re still in you’re mother’s womb at plus minus 6 weeks you’re sexual orientation blue print for you’re mind is set (by by the hormone input you got in that first 6 weeks ) and you might grow physicle as a woman but you’re mind is already set like a male’s! So i rest my case! Im very happy to be a lesbian and i would likewise want people to accept one another just the way they are and respect each other.
Sort of…. There are many theories but there are two main camps amongst scientists: hormonal or genetic. At the moment there is no clear leader. But all scientists doing any serious research do agree on some major points: homosexuality is indeed biological, not taught from the environment and cannot be changed.
Regardless of whether it’s caused genetically, or hormonally, there seem to be two centres in the brain that are very close to each other. One controls sexual attraction and the other controls social and physical behavious (ie masculine or femine). These two centres work independently of each other. Thus, in the extremes, you get four different types of people:
masculine-straight, feminine-straight, masculine-gay, and feminine-gay.
It should be pointed out that these are extremes and people can sit somewhere inbetween.
Research is also hinting at a third centre in the brain that determines gender identity and could possibly explain why some people feel the need to dress according to the opposite sex or, more extremely, to undergo sexual re-assignment surgery.
Wrong choice. I don’t think this helps very much with anything. It is well known that more primitive life forms can alter their sex if the ratio of male to female is not satisfactory. How do we know that this wasn’t the case here. They should try with something more advanced than a simple worm.