This question is for those educated in science. I don't believe in Christianity so please keep the Mary story to yourself. I have seen reptiles that have given birth without the male. Is this only present in animals that lay eggs? Has a Mammal ever been scientifically documented having offspring without being fertilized by a male.
2007-03-13 14:43:13 · 6 answers · asked by Alan M 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Some reptiles can have virgin births--it's called parthenogenesis. But we need the sperm donor because of the process of meiosis--otherwise, when cell division occurs you wouldn't get enough chromosomes and you'd spontaneously abort.
2007-03-13 15:08:38 · answer #1 · answered by kiddo 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically they just need the sperm to fertilize the egg. Humans can conceive without sex - that is penetrative sex. If sperm gets near the entrance to the vagina then it is possible for the sperm to make it to the egg to fertilize it. Fertilization doesn't always result in a birth though. There may be something wrong with the embryo and it spontaneously aborts.
Most animals would give in to instinct to reproduce in the old fashioned way so I doubt that there would be many "virgin" births without human assistance (eg. IVF).
2007-03-13 14:56:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes I work in an animal breeding facility and we do it all the time. Embryos are implanted into a female that has been hormonally treated. When she wakes up from the procedure she is pregnant the kids aren't genetically hers and there is no sex involved since the embryos are created with egg and sperm in vitro.
2007-03-13 15:29:54 · answer #3 · answered by pathc22 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
oh come on you gotta let us make fun of the christians and the virgin story..that wouldn't be very yahoo of you if we weren't allowed to troll this question!
2007-03-13 14:51:06 · answer #4 · answered by LS 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
If you mean "virgin birth" in that no sperm is involved, then no, it's not possible.
2007-03-13 15:35:58 · answer #5 · answered by Courtney 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Give this a try. At least it is interesting!
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4909.html
2007-03-13 14:54:31 · answer #6 · answered by Curiosity 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋