Entry #7: Chromosomes X and Y: Conflict

In this chapter, the author discusses how the body is the victim, plaything, battleground and vehicle for the ambitions of genes. The X and Y chromosome are always in conflict with each other. The sex chromosomes X and Y determine the sex of the body. Each chromosome attracts genes that are beneficial to that sex. Men have no 'spare' chromosome and because of this they are much more likely to suffer from recessive problems like colorblindness and hemophilia. This outbreak of antagonism between genes is a dangerous situation. It is said from scientists that later on in the years, the X chromosome will dominate over the Y chromosome. Not that the male species will be extinct because if that was the case, then that would mean that there would be no human beings on Earth. What that basically means is that later on in the future, male species will be more feminine than they are in the past because of the dominance in the X chromosome. The conflict has almost been shown to be the attributor for a heritability of homosexuality