Arthur T Knackerbracket has found the following story:
According to popular theory, men live shorter lives than women because they take bigger risks, have more dangerous jobs, drink and smoke more, and are poor at seeking advice from doctors.
But research by scientists at UNSW Sydney suggests the real reason may be less related to human behaviour and more to do with the type of sex chromosomes we share with most animal species.
In a study published today in Biology Letters, researchers from UNSW Science's School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences analysed all available academic literature on sex chromosomes and lifespan—and they tried to establish whether there was a pattern of one sex outliving the other that was repeated across the animal kingdom.
Specifically, they wanted to test the 'unguarded X hypothesis' which suggests that the Y chromosome in heterogametic sexes—those with XY (male) sex chromosomes rather than XX (female) sex chromosomes—is less able to protect an individual from harmful genes expressed on the X chromosome. The hypothesis suggests that, as the Y chromosome is smaller than the X chromosome, and in some cases absent, it is unable to 'hide' an X chromosome that carries harmful mutations, which may later expose the individual to health threats.
Conversely, there is no such problem in a pair of homogametic chromosomes (XX), where a healthy X chromosome can stand in for another X that has deleterious genes to ensure those harmful genes aren't expressed, thus maximising the length of life for the organism.
First author on the paper and Ph.D. student Zoe Xirocostas says that after examining the lifespan data available on a wide range of animal species, it appears that the unguarded X hypothesis stacks up. This is the first time that scientists have tested the hypothesis across the board in animal taxonomy; previously it was tested only within a few groups of animals.
Zoe A. Xirocostas et al. The sex with the reduced sex chromosome dies earlier: a comparison across the tree of life, Biology Letters (2020). DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0867
-- submitted from IRC
(Score: 2) by ikanreed on Thursday March 05 2020, @05:06PM (8 children)
It seems like this very study finds the exact opposite?
Males in species where males are X_ are just as vulnerable as species with XY males.
(Score: 5, Informative) by etherscythe on Thursday March 05 2020, @05:56PM
You're half right, in the sense that it's not ALL in the Y, technically, but males with ZZ still live longer than the females with ZW.
So women wear it better for some currently-unknown reason, but who's got the Y/W still makes a significant difference.
"Fake News: anything reported outside of my own personally chosen echo chamber"
(Score: -1, Troll) by NPC-131072 on Thursday March 05 2020, @09:18PM (6 children)
Study also falls into the transphobic trap of biological essentialism with a focus on sexual dimorphism. There is no mention of the other 70+ human genders or effects of gender self-identification on the findings.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by ikanreed on Thursday March 05 2020, @09:25PM (4 children)
Oh fuck off. Enforced social gender roles have jack shit to do with a lack of parallel gene expression. "This bird lives an average of a tenth of a standard deviation longer than that bird, so you can't wear a dress" is some real big brain stuff.
(Score: 0, Troll) by NPC-131072 on Thursday March 05 2020, @09:40PM (3 children)
There's no need to be rude, just go check your science [scientificamerican.com]
(Score: 3, Informative) by ikanreed on Thursday March 05 2020, @09:54PM (1 child)
I wonder deep down inside what kind of person I'd have to be to think this article contradicts that one.
(Score: 2) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday March 06 2020, @03:03AM
NPC-$BIGNUM is a troll account, and a rather hamfisted one at that. Mod down and move on.
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...
(Score: 2) by Runaway1956 on Friday March 06 2020, @12:23AM
I'll second Ikanreed's post. Fuck off.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Azuma Hazuki on Friday March 06 2020, @03:02AM
I am "that girl" your mother warned you about...