Immaculate Conception In a Boa Constrictor 478
crudmonkey writes "Researchers have discovered a biological shocker: female boa constrictors are capable of giving birth asexually. But the surprise doesn't end there. The study in Biology Letters found that boa babies produced through this asexual reproduction — also known as parthenogenesis — sport a chromosomal oddity that researchers thought was impossible in reptiles. While researchers admit that the female in the study may have been a genetic freak, they say the findings should press researchers to re-think reptile reproduction. Virgin birth among reptiles, especially primitive ones like boas, they argue may be far commoner than ever expected."
guys doomed (Score:1, Informative)
If women get their hands on the secret behind this, it could be the end for men
Incorrect title (Score:2, Informative)
Immaculate conception != virgin birth.
Immaculate Conception doesn't mean virgin birth (Score:5, Informative)
A lot of people make the mistake of equating "Immaculate Conception" to the virgin birth of Jesus. Actually, it refers to the birth of Mary (mother of Jesus) being born without Original Sin. What the author is referring to is the Annunciation, which is the virgin conception of Jesus within Mary.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immaculate_Conception [wikipedia.org]
Immaculate Conception? (Score:5, Informative)
And the chromosomal oddity is... (Score:5, Informative)
Theological pedantry (Score:1, Informative)
Not immaculate conception (Score:2, Informative)
I know this is a common misunderstanding but it is incorrect. I'm not Catholic, I've just been corrected about it in the past and thought I'd pass on the knowledge.
Chromosomal Oddity (Score:5, Informative)
Also direct links to the study are here [royalsocie...ishing.org] and here [royalsocie...ishing.org](pdf). The paper is "Evidence for viable, non-clonal but fatherless Boa constrictors" by Warren Booth, Daniel H. Johnson, Sharon Moore, Coby Schal, and Edward L. Vargo.
More info (Score:3, Informative)
A more thorough article (with better grammar) is available at BBC News. [bbc.co.uk]
Re:Immaculate Conception? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Immaculate Conception? (Score:1, Informative)
Inducing man to have original sin does not give snakes original sin.
Re:Immaculate Conception doesn't mean virgin birth (Score:3, Informative)
A lot of people making that mistake includes the vast majority of Roman Catholics.