Thursday, May 01, 2008

Skipping Breakfast Also Makes More Girls

Via PhysOrg - You are what your mother eats: First evidence that mother's diet influences infant sex
“Potentially, males of most species can father more offspring than females, but this can be strongly influenced by the size or social status of the male, with poor quality males failing to breed at all. Females, on the other hand, reproduce more consistently. If a mother has plentiful resources then it can make sense to invest in producing a son because he is likely to produce more grandchildren than would a daughter. However, in leaner times having a daughter is a safer bet.”