Name: What we learn from insects' sex lives
Uploaded: 2015-07-17T15:00:41Z
Duration: 11 min 48 s
Description: In this enlightening, funny talk, Marlene Zuk shares just some of the ways that insects are truly astonishing -- and not least for the creative ways they have sex.

In this enlightening, funny talk, Marlene Zuk shares just some of the ways that insects are truly astonishing -- and not least for the creative ways they have sex.

What we learn from insects' sex lives

Insect lives burst with surprises, from virgin-birth aphids to katydids that gift mates a third of their body weight. Their sex lives shatter stereotypes, revealing that females often take starring, aggressive roles while males can be choosy and passive. Studying insects exposes how assumptions about gender shape scientific models and even medicine. By accepting insects on their own terms, people can rethink what is normal and natural in the living world.