I was on Skeptically Speaking this week, weirdly and uncomfortably talking about the evolution of menstruation. I barrelled ahead anyway, even though I’ve got a Y chromosome and am not a member of the club. Fortunately, they also had Kate Clancy on to be a little more authoritative.
(Also on Sb)
You choice of titles sometimes baffles, and amuses me.
Weird. I had my days installment on that subject, including the link, from here:
http://ecophysio.fieldofscience.com/2011/10/girlybits-101-now-with-fewer-scary.html
Moar gud title.
Be more specific PZ, you have the SRY gene, not just a Y chromosome!
Great blogpost on bears from a listener! http://scientopia.org/blogs/scicurious/2012/02/03/friday-weird-science-does-your-menstrual-blood-attract-bears/
Kylie Sturgess
At least some sort of research was done on that claim. The post itself was great, indeed.
Why is it I still can’t forget my biology teacher’s announcement on this subject: “Next period we’ll be learning about menstruation”. Thank you, Mr. Danny Belcher, for sticking me with that thought forever – things that affect the mind of a 14 year old boy.
Just remember to say “on the rag” a lot. The chicks appreciate that.
I’ve got two thoughts about this:
1. Those jackhole editors at PHYSICS TODAY who published an essay on menstruation relying on evidence from a fictional text (“The Red Tent”) are going to feel stupid now…
(To be fair, every single female reader sent them scathing letters as soon as it the stands, but, you know, ladybrainz.)
2. Probably OT, but “The Atheist’s Nightmare” Kirk Cameron showed up in a gossip Blind Item today!!! I guess Jesus hated that movie FIREPROOF as much as I did. Suck it, Kirk!
Once, hospital-bound, I watched RICHARD SIMMONS give a talk about menstruation on his exercise show (remember that? anybody?). He had the grace to look profoundly uncomfortable.
*groan*
There Will Be Blood?
Periodically, yes.
Randomfactor #11 – Best reply yet!
I’m a male reader, and I found this quite interesting. I’m not even weirded out. I’m not even sure why people are getting weirded out over female physiology.
keithpeterson: That would be because females, and thus their organs and physiology are “inferior” to their male counterparts, and “unclean.” That is if you live in a culture influenced by the Middle Eastern faiths. It’s all total bullshit of course.
I’ve long felt that menstruation was the single best argument in favor of the Abrahamic god who hates women. It seems to me (not really) that a few gazillion years of evolution could have come up with something better.
I thought it was a really good episode – I actually learned a fair bit from your bit (and from Kate Clancy’s too).
Skeptically Speaking is definitely my favourite podcast…Desiree Schell is fantastic.
I barrelled ahead anyway, even though I’ve got a Y chromosome and am not a member of the club.
Don’t worry about it PZ, you’re not missing out
A. R,
it’s not just Middle Eastern faiths that have this belief of menstruation blood as unclean. You can find this in Balinese Hinduism and Japanese Shintoism too, I think it’s pretty common across all patriarchic cultures…