莫莉·韦伯斯特: “性染色体”的诡异历史

“性染色体”的诡异历史

普罗大众对于生物学上性的思考是像这样的：女性在她们的细胞中拥有两条 X 染色体，但男性只有一个 X 和一个 Y 。在这个打破禁锢的演讲中，科学作者和博主，莫莉·韦伯斯特（Molly Webster）向我们展示了为什么所谓的性染色体比我们已知的定义更加复杂——并且揭露了为什么我们要换一种思路去看待它们。

Biology textbooks often claim that X and Y chromosomes neatly determine biological sex, but the reality is much more complex. Cases like athletes with XY chromosomes who present as female reveal how these chromosomes do not always map to our social categories. Scientists once believed an extra Y chromosome caused criminality, a theory later disproven, showing how societal ideas warp science. Most surprisingly, 96 percent of genes on the X chromosome have nothing to do with sex or reproduction.