The Evolution of Sex - Principles of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior

Explore the fascinating topic of sexual evolution in this 49-minute lecture from Yale University's "Principles of Evolution, Ecology and Behavior" course. Delve into various explanations for the evolution and prevalence of sex, including its role in spreading beneficial mutations and removing harmful ones, as well as its importance in developing pathogen resistance. Examine the costs associated with sexual reproduction, such as passing only half of one's genome to offspring, mate-finding challenges, and risks of predation and sexually transmitted diseases. Discover why, despite these costs, the benefits of sex outweigh them, leading to its dominance in recent evolutionary branches. The lecture covers topics like recombination, the impact of pathogens and parasites, and modern asexuality, providing a comprehensive overview of this crucial aspect of evolutionary biology.