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Issue 15

THE SCIENCE OF SEX

THE SCIENCE OF SEX
From bacterial recombination, to the complex mating rituals of higher mammals (not to mention humans), sex is an essential fact of all life. In this issue, Cosmos casts the illuminating gaze of science over a wide range of questions, such as the origins of sex, the difference between male and female brains, whether monogamy is natural, the spectrum of gender beyond male and female and much more.

Cosmos Issue 15
FEATURES
A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEX

A BRIEF HISTORY OF SEX

Reproduction has a long and convoluted evolutionary history. From bacteria swapping genetic material under ultraviolet light, through to the bizarre mating practices of hermaphrodite slugs, Dorion Sagan traces a path through the history of sex.

INTERSEX

INTERSEX

We think in terms of 'male' and 'female', but gender doesn't stop there. Up to a whopping 2 per cent of people have some form of intersexual features, from mixed chromosomes to ambiguous genitalia. Some people don't even know they're intersexual. David Salt asks why society and science struggle to understand the spectrum between the sexes.

PLAGUE OF MEN

PLAGUE OF MEN

Modernisation was supposed to slow the preference in developing nations for male children, but the reverse has occurred. As the male to female imbalance grows ever greater, will future wars be fought over women? Elizabeth Finkel investigates.

SEXUAL CHEMISTRY 101

SEXUAL CHEMISTRY 101

Finding the perfect match can be a lifelong challenge. So why not let science help you out? Benjamin 'Dr Love' Lester takes you through the top ten science tips to attract the opposite sex.

CONFRONTING THE QUANTUM ENIGMA

CONFRONTING THE QUANTUM ENIGMA

Quantum mechanics is weird. But it's also our best description of reality at a sub-atomic level. If that's the case, then maybe it's our perception that is off the track. Julian Brown looks at some of the curlier quantum conundrums to see whether it's really us that are weird.

MONKEY MELODRAMA

MONKEY MELODRAMA

Capuchin monkeys in Costa Rica love, fight, form coalitions, betray their friends, and generally carry on like a daytime soap. Vanessa Woods delves into the depths of the jungle and finds the lines between observed and observer are uncannily blurred.

REGULAR SECTIONS
Rising to the challenge
Ian Osterloh was as surprised as anyone when his research on a potential treatment for heart disease revealed a side effect that sparked a sexual health revolution. Here, he describes the trials and tribulations of pharmaceutical development.
Still life
'Biotech artists' are drawing inspiration – and even materials – from both life and the laboratory.
Science of smooching
The origins and role of the kiss in human relations remain a hotly controversial topic in science.
The monogamy myth
While society tells us we will find 'the one' and settle down for life, biology suggests that fidelity doesn't always come naturally.
A bug with big genes
It may be just another unpleasant sexually transmitted bug, but this protozoan parasite packs a surprisingly lengthy genome.
Smartasaurus
If they hadn't been wiped out in a global catastrophe 65 million years ago, could dinosaurs have evolved intelligence?
Wasteland
The search is on for a place to store the world's nuclear waste, and it looks like the best option might be underground – down under.
The galaxy next door
A 'mere' 2.5 million lights years away from our own Milky Way, Andromeda, our galactic neighbour, has yielded fascinating insights into the nature of the Universe, and continues to deliver surprises to this day.
NASA in deep water
While Apollo 11 was carrying the first humans to the moon's surface amid intense public interest, another lower profile NASA mission was testing the endurance of aquanauts far below the waves.
Building an intelligent Internet
Computers might be great at processing data, but they still can't grasp meaning. That might be about to change…
Science on top of the world
It's the world's northernmost research station and one of the most remote outposts of science. Peter Calamai dons his Michelin Man outfit to sample the science at Eureka.
Foreword
Reflections on life, the universe and everything.
Feedback
Letters, and new from the Cosmos team.
Express
Short science bites for a fast read.
Technophile
The science of running shoes.
Fiction
"Dogs of war" by Bruce Carlson.
Omnivore
Reviews of books and DVDs.
Opinion
Many men like fixing cars. Lots of women like talking to friends. Simon Baron-Cohen puts forward a new theory that sheds light on the nature/nurture debate.
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