The Battle Against Parasites

in an arm race between host and

parasites the parasites can win because

they breed faster sex evolved to confuse

the parasites imagine that the best way

for your genes to replicate themselves

would be for you to breed parthan

genetically you just clone yourself

there's no reason for a sexual partner

when you have a sexual partner half your

genes are left behind that's a big cost

to pay if the goal is Gene propagation

the parasite problem is so immense that

sexually reproducing creatures and

that's the bulk of creatures that there

are are willing to sacrifice half their

genes to mix up their physiology so that

parasites can't be transmitted perfectly

from generation to generation