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Sperm Travels Faster Toward Attractive Females
discovery ^ | Jennifer Viegas

Posted on 08/13/2009 5:27:09 AM PDT by JoeProBono

Females may be outwardly choosy when selecting sexual partners -- accepting or shunning mates in very public ways -- but males may get the last say in this battle of the sexes.

New research found that males can adjust the speed and effectiveness of their sperm by allocating more or less seminal fluid to copulations. The determining factor is whether the male finds the female attractive.

The study, conducted on red junglefowl, a director ancestor of chickens, adds to the growing body of evidence that males throughout many promiscuous species in the animal kingdom, including humans, can mate with many females, but chances of fertilization are greater when the female is deemed to be attractive.

Desirable female red junglefowl are easy to identify.

"Female attractiveness is determined by the expression of a sexual ornament -- the comb -- which is phenotypically and genetically correlated to the number and mass of eggs females lay," according to study co-authors Charlie Cornwallis of the University of Oxford and the Royal Veterinary College's Emily O'Connor.

For the study, published in the current Proceedings of the Royal Society B, the researchers collected natural ejaculates from dominate and subordinate red junglefowl males housed at the University of Stockholm. The males had either just mated with attractive or unattractive females.


TOPICS: Science
KEYWORDS: godsgravesglyphs; sperm
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1 posted on 08/13/2009 5:27:09 AM PDT by JoeProBono
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To: JoeProBono
Sperm Travels Faster Toward Attractive Females

Well....duh.

2 posted on 08/13/2009 5:28:57 AM PDT by Vigilantcitizen (This tagline has been shutdown due to lack of funds.)
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To: JoeProBono

3 posted on 08/13/2009 5:30:40 AM PDT by WakeUpAndVote
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To: JoeProBono; Lazamataz; Jersey Republican Biker Chick

Laz is back in the laboratory, apparently.


4 posted on 08/13/2009 5:31:39 AM PDT by Larry Lucido (This tagline excerpted. To read more, click on MyOverratedBlog.com)
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To: WakeUpAndVote

I hate you.


5 posted on 08/13/2009 5:32:13 AM PDT by frithguild (Can I drill your head now?)
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To: WakeUpAndVote

In her case, I believe the sperm form themselves into a hammer and a stake.


6 posted on 08/13/2009 5:32:49 AM PDT by domenad (In all things, in all ways, at all times, let honor guide me.)
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To: WakeUpAndVote

7 posted on 08/13/2009 5:34:19 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: WakeUpAndVote

Damn you WakeUpAndVote, damn you to hell!!!


8 posted on 08/13/2009 5:34:19 AM PDT by A Texan (Oderint dum metuant)
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To: JoeProBono

Who didn’t know that?


9 posted on 08/13/2009 5:35:28 AM PDT by bmwcyle (Obama's lies make Bill Clinton's lie small)
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To: Vigilantcitizen
Sperm Travels Faster Toward Attractive Females Yep, I've seen guys headed across a bar towards a good looking gal like they were following a dousing rod to water.
10 posted on 08/13/2009 5:36:54 AM PDT by dblshot
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To: WakeUpAndVote

Mine just shrivelled up while running the other way.........


11 posted on 08/13/2009 5:40:06 AM PDT by Lakeshark (Thank a member of the US armed forces for their sacrifice)
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To: JoeProBono

researchers collected natural ejaculates from....
________________________________________________

You can bet you boots if the sperm was “collected” by humans, the last thing it was was “natural.”


12 posted on 08/13/2009 5:46:35 AM PDT by CTOCS (Some people drink from the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.)
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To: bmwcyle

Somebody actually dreamed up and got paid to do this study! I’m volunteering for the human testing!


13 posted on 08/13/2009 5:52:25 AM PDT by Ab Alius Domitor ("In the end;the winner")
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To: WakeUpAndVote

Joe, I agree with everyone else and I’ll add that I hope yours falls off because of posting that picture this early in the morning!


14 posted on 08/13/2009 5:53:25 AM PDT by Ab Alius Domitor ("In the end;the winner")
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To: JoeProBono
Desirable female red junglefowl are easy to identify.

A valuable tip that I'll keep in mind.

15 posted on 08/13/2009 6:04:59 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine (Is /sarc really necessary?)
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To: Pearls Before Swine

16 posted on 08/13/2009 6:10:05 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

RE pic: She’s beautiful, isn’t she?


17 posted on 08/13/2009 6:11:21 AM PDT by Pearls Before Swine (Is /sarc really necessary?)
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To: JoeProBono

I’m so sick of these stupid stories. Folks actually research this nonsense, get grants for such nonsense, believe such nonsenese, and then nonsensical news outlets publish such nonsense, and the majority of folks who read such nonsense believe the nonsense, what a bunch of nonsense.


18 posted on 08/13/2009 6:13:06 AM PDT by Scythian
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To: Scythian

19 posted on 08/13/2009 6:18:47 AM PDT by JoeProBono (A closed mouth gathers no feet)
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To: JoeProBono

This makes sense.


20 posted on 08/13/2009 6:19:59 AM PDT by TBP (Obama lies, Granny dies.)
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