At the beginning of the 21st Century monsters still roam the remote, and sometimes not so remote, corners of our planet. It is our job to search for them. The Centre for Fortean Zoology [CFZ] is - we believe - the largest professional, scientific and full-time organisation in the world dedicated to cryptozoology - the study of unknown animals. Since 1992 the CFZ has carried out an unparalleled programme of research and investigation all over the world. Since 2009 we have been running the increasingly popular CFZ Blog Network, and although there has been an American branch of the CFZ for over ten years now, it is only now that it has a dedicated blog.

Wednesday 22 January 2014

"MEN ARE DOOMED!" CRIES OXFORD PROFESSOR

Oxford professor Bryan Sykes, well known to cryptozoologists for his research into the genetics of supposed Yeti hair and Zana the wild woman, has, in his book Adam's Curse, predicted an end of the males of the human race.  He says that, owing to the degeneration of the Y-chromosome, there will be no more men in 120,000 years time.  With scientific intervention, however, he holds that women should be able to reproduce.

This is, of course, if science is still at a stage where it can intervene appropriately in 125,000 years time.  For all we know, some catastrophe might have reduced society to a more primitive level by then.

However, if science has continued to advance, in 125,000 years it might have reached a stage where a simple procedure might restore the degeneration or might make female couples able to reproduce.

One optimistic opinion is that degeneration of the Y-chromosome seems to have slowed down or even stopped since men and chimpanzees diverged.  Certain animals that have lost the Y-chromosome have continued to reproduce.

We don't really know the cause of the degeneration.  It may be something every species ultimately goes through.

If any time travelers from 125,000 years in the future are reading this, they might let us know how things develop.  

The list price of Adam's Curse is $24.99.  Copies are available from Amazon at reduced price at the time of writing.

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