Scientists perform sex change operation on papaya

mnn.com

15 points·Tichy··9 comments

If you ever heard the debate about what if all males went extinct or women could no longer reproduce (like the movie Children of Men), I believe that hermaphrodites are nature's proof of concept that "nature will always find a way".

Although I was never curious enough to research if it is believed that there is a possibility that hermaphrodite humans can impregnate themselves, like plants reproduce. Anyone know the speculative answer to this from a credible source?

Children of Men is actually a novel by P.D. James

Just a pet peev when people overlook the original material, but I was pretty surprised to learn this. She mostly writes detective stories and was inducted into the crime writers hall of fame.

It's on my "todo" bookshelf, anyway, so any pomposoty is accidental ;)

I agree and am peeved at myself in fact, lol. I too don't like original material being overlooked.

Lol, don't worry, I'm not offended and appreciate honest feedback and debate from others when they have something to back it.

Cheers!

I will never look at another papaya the same way again.

There is something very unsavory about consuming something that underwent a sex change operation.

If you eat papaya, you're already eating hermaphrodite fruit. This can't make much difference.

Don't all plants flower and pollinate, meaning they are all hermaphrodites?

In the article:

Papayas already come in three sexual varieties: male, female and hermaphrodite, but it is only the hermaphrodite varieties that produce the succulent fruit that is sold commercially.

Science is tasty. So very, very tasty.

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