Studies offer insight into evolution of monogamy in mammals

By Meeri Kim Scientists have long wondered why a small minority of mammals, including some humans, have evolved into monogamous creatures, and two studies provide new information but give different answers. One group of scientists, who looked only at primates, found that the impulse for males to protect their offspring from infanticide by rival males …

There Really Isn’t Any Bad News for People Who Like to Masturbate

by Martha Kempner Masturbation is such an under-appreciated form of sexual activity. It has been blamed in urban legends for everything from hairy palms to lack of productivity, and has a reputation of being reserved for those who can’t find anyone else to have sex with them. But that’s just not true. Most people masturbate. It feels good. …

These Volunteers Give Handjobs to the Severely Disabled

By Nelson Moura and Yun jie Zou Andy is a muscular dystrophy patient who lives with his parents in southern Taiwan. Due to his severe physical disability, he was home-schooled and couldn’t leave his house alone, so never really had the opportunity to develop either an active social life or a romantic relationship. When the …

Notching the belt

Hey Doc, So I’ve asked you a question anonymously before and you were a huge help so here I am again. My names Mike and I’m 17 years old. For some reason it takes me a ridiculously long time to “finish” with my girlfriend. It’s not her, because this has happened with about 4 or …

No, Scientists Have Not Found the ‘Gay Gene’

By Ed Yong The media is hyping a study that doesn’t do what it says it does. This week, a team from the University of California, Los Angeles claimed to have found several epigenetic marks—chemical modifications of DNA that don’t change the underlying sequence—that are associated with homosexuality in men. Postdoc Tuck Ngun presented the …