The Male ‘Y’ Chromosome is Degenerating, Here’s What That Means for the Future of the Human Race

Amaze Lab

The “Y” chromosome is what biologically separates male from female in our species. However, a new study has found that it is changing and it could have massive implications for our species.

Transcript

00:00The Y-chromosome is what biologically separates male from female in our species.

00:08However, experts say it's changing.

00:10Females have the double X chromosome,

00:12while males possess one X and one Y.

00:14While the Y carries far fewer genes than the X,

00:17it does cause the development of the testes,

00:19which then starts a cascade of hormones.

00:21However, experts say the Y-chromosome is degenerating,

00:24and in a few million years it might be gone completely.

00:28They have identified Y-chromosomal degradation in myriad species around the world,

00:32finding that every 1 million years, around 5 genes disappear from them.

00:36For those doing the math, that means in 11 million years,

00:39ours will likely go away entirely.

00:41So should the species be worried?

00:43Well, maybe.

00:44If the Y-chromosome were to disappear today,

00:46there would be no testes, meaning no men, resulting in zero babies.

00:50However, scientists have discovered that two species of rodents

00:53have already had this happen in their evolutionary timeline,

00:56and they have survived by developing a new sex chromosome,

00:59meaning in 11 million years,

01:01our species might be a whole lot different than it is today.

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