Photo: Sam Forson

Who invented sexes?

businessinsider.com - Scientists: Ancient Scottish Fish Invented Sex 385 Million Years Ago

Is milk good for prostate?

New study associates intake of dairy milk with greater risk of prostate cancer. Men with higher intakes of dairy foods, especially milk, face a...

Last updated Aug 26, 2021

How to get pregnant quickly?

Experts say the best way to get pregnant fast is to have sex once a day, every other day, during the fertile window right before and after...

Last updated Feb 3, 2019

Promotion

Vertebrates have come a long way. Do It For Denmark!

LONDON (Reuters) - Scientists studying fossils have discovered that the intimate act of sexual intercourse used by humans was pioneered by ancient armored fishes, called placoderms, about 385 million years ago in Scotland. In an important discovery in the evolutionary history of sexual reproduction, the scientists found that male fossils of the Microbrachius dicki, which belong to a placoderm group, developed bony L-shaped genital limbs called claspers to transfer sperm to females. Females, for their part, developed small paired bones to lock the male organs in place for mating.

Placoderms are the earliest vertebrate ancestors of humans.

"Placoderms were once thought to be a dead-end group with no live relatives, but recent studies show that our own evolution is deeply rooted in placoderms and that many of the features we have -- such as jaws, teeth and paired limbs -- first originated with this group of fishes," said John Long, a paleontologist at Flinders University in South Australia who led the research. This new finding, he added, shows that "they gave us the intimate act of sexual intercourse as well". Matt Friedman, a palaeobiologist from Britain's Oxford University who was not involved in the research, described its findings as "nothing short of remarkable" and said they suggested much more could be learned from the fossil fishes. Long, whose study was published in the journal Nature on Sunday, discovered the ancient fishes' mating abilities when he stumbled across a single fossil bone in the collections of the University of Technology in Tallinn, Estonia, last year. The research then involved scientists from Australia, Estonia, Britain, Sweden and China, who analyzed fossil specimens from museum collections across the world. These demonstrate the first use of internal fertilization and copulation as a reproductive strategy known in the fossil record. Measuring about 8 centimeters (3 inches) in length, Microbrachius lived in ancient lake habitats in Scotland, as well as parts of Estonia and China. Long explained that "Microbrachius" means little arms, but said scientists have been baffled for centuries by what these bony paired arms were actually there for. "We've solved this great mystery," he said. "They were there for mating, so that the male could position his claspers into the female genital area." In one of the more bizarre findings of the study, Long said the fishes probably copulated from a sideways position with their bony jointed arms locked together -- making them look more as if they were square dancing than having sex. "This enabled the males to maneuver their genital organs into the right position for mating," he said.

(Editing by Ruth Pitchford)

NOW WATCH: Icelandic Commission Confirms Existence Of Mysterious Sea Monster

How many days rest after TURP surgery?

Recovery from surgery should take about three weeks. Symptoms such as frequent or painful urination may continue for a while. They should lessen in...

Last updated Mar 26, 2019

What are the pros and cons of drinking cranberry juice?

Some research has found that cranberry juice may prevent infections, delay or reduce the severity of chronic disease, and prevent age-related...

Last updated Jun 20, 2022

Promotion

Which sibling is usually smarter?

oldest child A new study shows that first-born children tend to be smarter than their siblings and second-born children are more likely to cause trouble. The University of Edinburgh study reported that the oldest child tends to have a higher IQ and thinking skills than their younger siblings.

wtsp.com - Studies show oldest sibling is smartest, second-born are troublemakers

The study looked at U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics for 5,000 children from pre-birth to 14-years-old. A new study shows that first-born children tend to be smarter than their siblings and second-born children are more likely to cause trouble. The University of Edinburgh study reported that the oldest child tends to have a higher IQ and thinking skills than their younger siblings. This is due to higher mental stimulation the first-born receives, CBS affiliate KUTV reports. The study looked at U.S. Bureau of Labor statistics for 5,000 children from pre-birth to 14-years-old and looks at family background and economic conditions. "The first-borns scored higher on tests including reading and picture vocabulary, which according to the researchers, could reflect the 'birth order effect,'" Kate Frost said in Country Living magazine. "This means children born earlier in a family go on to have a better level of education and earn higher wages further down the line." Another study looked at second-born children, who were more likely to misbehave with sometimes 'serious consequences.' Dr. Joseph Doyle's study found second-born children are 25 to 40 percent more likely to get into "serious" trouble after looking at data from thousands of brothers in the U.S. and Europe. Parenting styles changing from one child to the next and having siblings as role models are some of the explanations. "Both the parental investments are different, and the sibling influences probably contribute to these differences we see in the labor market and what we find in delinquency," Doyle told NPR.

What other people are reading right now:

►Make it easy to keep up-to-date with more stories like this. Download the 10 News app now.

Who was first person with blue eyes?

In 2006, researchers discovered a 7,000 year old body from the Stone Age in the La Brana cave system in Leon in Northern Spain (Image 4). Genetic...

Last updated Aug 29, 2018

What is Eve's DNA?

Mitochondrial Eve is the female ancestor of all human beings. The reason is that the mitochondrial DNA passes on only though mothers to children,...

Last updated Sep 29, 2020

Promotion

How long does it take for dark chocolate to give you energy?

Caffeine is naturally present in cocoa beans, so just a little bit of chocolate contains some of the stimulant. And after 40 minutes the caffeine...

Last updated Mar 29, 2018

Imagine Your Moment Of Freedom!

Fluxactive Complete is conveniently packed with over 14 essential prostate powerhouse herbs, vitamins and grade A nutrients which work synergistically to help you support a healthy prostate faster

Learn More »

Promotion

Who owns men's health magazine?

Hearst Men's Health (MH), published by Hearst, is the world's largest men's magazine brand, with 35 editions in 59 countries. It is also the best-...

Last updated May 9, 2022