Name: The weird history of the "sex chromosomes"
Uploaded: 2020-03-23T14:48:38Z
Duration: 13 min 24 s
Description: The common thinking on biological sex goes like this: females have two X chromosomes in their cells, while males have one X and one Y. In this myth-busting talk, science writer and podcaster Molly Webster shows why the so-called "sex chromosomes" are more complicated than this simple definition -- and reveals why we should think about them differently.

The common thinking on biological sex goes like this: females have two X chromosomes in their cells, while males have one X and one Y. In this myth-busting talk, science writer and podcaster Molly Webster shows why the so-called "sex chromosomes" are more complicated than this simple definition -- and reveals why we should think about them differently.


Molly Webster: The weird history of the "sex chromosomes"

The weird history of the "sex chromosomes"

The discovery of XYY individuals challenged simple 'X equals girl, Y equals boy' models, unveiling the complexity of sex chromosomes.

María José Martínez-Patiño's story reveals the dangers of defining sex by chromosomes alone, questioning societal and scientific norms.

Only 4% of X chromosome genes relate to sex, challenging its label as the 'female chromosome' and urging a broader biological understanding.