Are we heading towards a future where only girls are born? If a recent study is to be believed, the answer is yes. The future is female.
What are we talking about? A recent study has revealed that the Y chromosome, which is crucial for determining male sex, is gradually shrinking and might eventually disappear. This could result in a world where only girls are born!
The Y chromosome, which plays a crucial role in determining male sex in humans, is shrinking! Over the past 300 million years, it has lost 1,393 of its original 1,438 genes, with only 45 genes remaining. According to Jennifer A. Marshall Graves, a distinguished Professor of Genetics and Vice Chancellor’s Fellow, the Y chromosome is “running out of time.” If this trend continues, the Y chromosome could disappear entirely within 11 million years, raising fears about the future of male offspring and human survival.
If this happens, it could lead to a world where only female offspring are born. A study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences notes that some animals, like spiny rats, have already developed new genes to determine male sex, suggesting a potential future path for humans.
Over the past 166 million years, the Y chromosome has lost 900+ of its genes, and it might completely disappear in about 11 million years. As the Y chromosome shrinks, new sex-determining systems might develop, but this process could be risky.
It might lead to the evolution of different sex-determining systems in various regions, potentially creating separate human species. Scientists are closely studying these changes to understand their impact on the future of human reproduction.
The Y chromosome’s potential disappearance is a significant concern, but recent research on the spiny rat offers hope that humans might evolve to overcome this challenge. As we face an uncertain future, the study’s findings open new avenues for research into sex determination and evolution. While the possibility of new human species emerging is intriguing, it also raises important questions about the future of human diversity and survival.