The Evolution of Autosexual Behaviour

20/10/2025 22 min

Listen "The Evolution of Autosexual Behaviour"

Episode Synopsis

Across the animal kingdom sexual behaviours have evolved which increase the chances of individuals finding a mate and successfully reproducing. However, some are more of a challenge to explain than others. Masturbation has historically been considered a behaviour which hasn’t evolved to directly improve reproductive success, but recent research has shown that its important in optimising sperm quality, and even allowing females to choose which males fertilise them.