A woman carries a family gene
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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Scientists from the University of Utah presented new evidence in support of a theory that explains why in some cultures in the world where extramarital sex is common, men give much attention and care to their sisters, and sometimes even more than their own children and wife.
Alan Rogers, an anthropology professor and lead author of the study, suggests that in some populations, male genes are more transmitted through the sisters' children, and not through children from the wife. Earlier, a version was put forward that the male genes are transmitted through the sister more, if only he is accounted only by the father of one child from his wife's four children.
For many years scientists have been wondering why sometimes all the blessings and inheritance went to the sisters' children, and not to the direct heirs of men - to his own children. In countries of South America and Central Africa, extramarital affairs are very common and sometimes a man may not know for sure whether he really is the father of the child. This means that his offspring may have no genes at all. But the fact that the sister and he has one mother, says that in the children of the sisters his genes will be more likely.
Dr. Rogers has built four assumptions that have already been used in previous studies, odako he built them in a more realistic way.
The first two of them relied on the fact that "all women have a lot of lover and are subject to permanent extramarital affairs". As it turned out, this theory has no right to exist because of the understatement of the degree of kinship between the children of sisters and men.
The third assumption was that the resources that are invested in each child are equally valuable. These conditions did not take into account the fact that the contribution to the wife's children more means does not always mean that the sisters do not have enough for their children.
The fourth problem was that the actions of men often depend on the reaction of the wife.
As a result, Dr. Rogers concluded that the old model did not take into account that if the nephews of a man inherit less of his genes, they will end up with nothing, and not with some reduction in resources, as they should.
Natural selection and genetics contribute to the fact that relatives, in most cultures of the world, help each other.
"Throughout the world, people help and support their relatives, give gifts and do not really care about transferring their own genes. Without natural selection, there certainly has not been, "says Dr. Rogers.
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