On the Origin of Sex

‘A thrilling biological detective story. Brilliant told and relentlessly entertaining’ CHARLES FOSTER

Explore the spectacular science of reproduction – from frogs and funghi to seahorses, sparrows and everything in between

Let’s talk about sex. Not boring, human sex, but the endlessly fascinating, varied and complex forms of reproduction that can be found in the rest of the natural world.

Whiptail lizards and California condors are capable of immaculate conception, while strawberries are reproductive flip-floppers. Clownfish can permanently change sex, while bearded dragons undergo temperature-dependent sex reversal. For the humble slime mould, sex can involve hundreds of mating types – a veritable bonanza.