Produced by: Tarun Mishra
A recent study suggests that the Y chromosome, essential for determining male sex, is gradually shrinking and may eventually disappear, potentially leading to a future where only females are born.
The disappearance of the Y chromosome could result in the evolution of a new sex-determining gene or other reproductive mechanisms, with significant implications for human reproduction. A research paper published two years ago in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals how the spiny rat has evolved a new male-determining gene.
The study highlights the spiny rat, which has evolved a new male-determining gene after losing its Y chromosome, raising questions about whether humans could undergo a similar evolutionary process.
The Y chromosome has lost nearly 900 active genes over 166 million years, leaving just 55. Scientists estimate that the remaining genes could disappear in about 11 million years.
The platypus serves as a model for understanding the Y chromosome's decline, showing that the X and Y chromosomes were once similar and have diverged over time.
While new sex-determining systems might evolve, this could lead to multiple human species with distinct reproductive mechanisms, posing risks to the continuity of human populations.
The study suggests that millions of years from now, Earth might host several human species with different sex determination systems, or potentially no males at all.
The shrinking Y chromosome raises critical questions about the long-term survival of the human species and the future of reproduction.