Do aliens have sex?

Sexual intercourse is the instinct of species to maintain the race, and scientists question if aliens really exist, they have no sexual intercourse.

How does "that" of aliens take place?

According to Live Science, this question is extremely serious. Sexual reproduction in the natural world is extremely difficult and sometimes costs a life. It requires finding partners, convincing them to mix DNA with you, accepting the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases, or being eaten by children after completing the task.

All those sacrifices, not necessarily for the ending, said Sally Otto, director of the Center for Biodiversity Research, University of British Columbia.

"Adults know they exist to reproduce and maintain the race. And so, two individuals mix genes together , " Otto said. Therefore, sexual reproduction is extremely popular on Earth , because it is directly related to evolution. It is possible that aliens are also busy with this work.

The shape of aliens always makes people curious.(Artwork: Live Science).

Genetic exchange

Not all life on Earth mates to reproduce. Scientists recorded many cases of virgins (not having sex with heterosexual children but still having children), such as Komodo dragons, cobra, and even sharks.

Amoeba, an organism that existed for billions of years ago, long before multicellular life developed, was thought to be completely asexual for a long time. However, in 2011, the University of Massachusetts scientists declared that amoeba actually had mating.

In fact, gene exchange is the standard for life on Earth. Bacillus bacteria do not mate, Otto said, but he received new DNA by swallowing other bacteria, or infecting DNA by the virus, thereby increasing genetic diversity.

Sex revolution

If possible, Otto said, that sexual reproduction arises with the evolution of eukaryotic cells. All internal carriers prevent the accidental absorption of foreign DNA.

Therefore, to determine whether aliens have generated mating does not, Otto said, is considering their cells.

"Is that cell multiplying, or is there any other way to protect DNA?" she said. If extraterrestrial life are entities with cell nuclei, then they can benefit from mating.

Mating is beneficial for microorganisms because of the fluctuating surroundings, Otto explained. The next generation faces different environmental challenges than their parents. Therefore, as long as the environment is constantly changing, the genetic variation is still useful.

Sexual and asexual reproduction at the same time

Some aphids multiply asexually when food sources are abundant. According to Otto, these asexual bugs not only carry many children in the abdomen, but also, their own children also carry many other children in the abdomen.

"Like a Russian doll," Otto said, describing the famous Russian wooden doll, which has a series of small children.

At the end of the breeding season, aphids change into sexual reproduction. This is very common, when converting forms of reproduction in difficult times. Some water fleas mate in the spring, when food supplies decrease or the environment is harsh, according to a 1981 study in The American Naturalist magazine. Candiada tropicalis yeast can also reproduce sexually, according to a study in the Proceedings magazine of the American Academy of Sciences in 2011.

Amoeba is also capable of sexual reproduction, according to American scientists in 2011. (Photo: Live Science).

Parasites can be an agent that accelerates the sexual evolution of aliens. According to a study in Science, scientists said, when fighting against parasitic enemies, species with sexual reproduction mechanisms are often equipped with more genetic weapons than asexual reproductive species. .

In this study, they modified the genome of the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans, making them asexual or sexual reproduction. The third group still retains the ability to switch between these two modes of reproduction.

After that, the worms are exposed to parasitic bacteria. They found that C. elegans was only asexually fertile after about 20 generations. The remaining worms are not affected.

Other studies on yeast and some species that have the ability to change breeding methods under the influence of the environment also produce similar results.

How to mate

But even if aliens have sex, it doesn't mean they do it the way we often imagine.

For example, mating amoeba, a part of the cell carrying genetic material (given or received by another amoeba) will be removed and repackaged. When yeast reproduces sexually, they grow spores, which then join together. The C. elegans bisexual nematode wiggles the body to find the partner's genitals and transfers sperm through the thorny structure.

Even for closer animals, their mating is quite odd. Antechinus marsupials live in Australia and New Guinea, mating continuously for two weeks. Males often ambush females and each mating lasts about 14 hours. This causes them to have internal bleeding and loss of immunity. Males usually do not survive mating season. For hyenas, males often have to be very careful when mating because females have very large clitoris. Some male bats must use their tongue to stimulate the female sex organ.

In other words, aliens may or may not mate. But one thing is for sure, it is difficult to find anything more strange than the things that exist on Earth.