Who is actually the weaker sex? Find out.... - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

swedeace · 01-30-2006, 01:06 AM

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-1-2006_pg6_11

Stress Results in Stronger Boys

H E A L T H: Stress results in stronger boys

Populations of boys born in stressful times enjoy an advantage their whole lives, living longer, on average, than males born in times of peace and prosperity, US researchers reported on Monday.

The study adds to earlier findings that pregnant women are more likely to miscarry male fetuses than females fetuses during times of stress. It shows that this tendency to miscarry males has a culling effect, said Ralph Catalano of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, who led the study. “The populations are hardier because they lost the weak ones earlier,” Catalano said in a telephone interview. “No individuals got stronger — it’s just that the weak ones aren’t there.”

The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also solidify what biologists have long known — that males are the weaker sex. “That’s one thing I can say,” Catalano said. “Statistically, it is clearly true. Compared to men, (women) are biological fortresses.”

Catalano and colleague Tim Bruckner were following up on the earlier studies that showed fewer boys are born during times of stress, such as economic recessions or depressions and natural disasters. They used data from Sweden, which has a database of birth, life and death information dating back to 1751. Demographers have certified that the database can be extrapolated to the global population in absence of more precise information from other regions.

EVEN RATIO: On average, around the world, about 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. But males are more likely to die young in general, and by the time couples are courting the ratio is fairly even.

Except after hard times: There are two competing theories as to why, Catalano said. One was that a stressed pregnant woman produces more of a hormone called cortisol, which in turn damages fetuses. Damaged fetuses are frequently miscarried. “Because male fetuses are more fragile than female fetuses, they are more likely to be damaged,” Catalano said. Cortisol often makes a male fetus kick and squirm, and a second theory holds that a mother’s body will miscarry a male fetus that does not kick or wiggle strongly enough and which is, presumably, weak. “It’s not in her evolutionary interest to have a weak son in times of stress,” Catalano said. “He may not survive or may not be competitive for females.”

Both theories predict that fewer boys would be born, but they would have different long-term outcomes, Catalano said. Either all the male fetuses are damaged a little, and the boys who are born are weakened, or the miscarriage process culls the weak fetuses and leaves the strong ones. So they looked at the data. In Sweden, after the most stressful times such as a famine, men’s lives were four months longer than in happier times. “The weak boys got culled out and those boys that survived are hardier on average. They live longer,” Catalano said. For an individual, this might be a small difference but over a population it is significant, Catalano said. Catalano said he has seen the same effects in action today. “In California after 9-11 we reported that the sex ratio in California went down,” he said. “Many more males than you would expect died after Sept. 11 in utero.”

Similar effects were seen after the collapse of East Germany in 1991, he said, when unemployment soared in the former socialist state.

Chad Michael Murray · 01-30-2006, 08:23 AM

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

...wait, HUH?! Okay, I demand a recount.

EmoJoe · 01-30-2006, 08:42 AM

these things are stupid. there IS no stronger sex. god people.

Chelsea · 01-30-2006, 09:16 AM

Each sex has comparative strengths and weaknesses that, at the end of the day, do a remarkably good job of counterbalancing each other. End.

Criminy...

EmoJoe · 01-30-2006, 01:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seth

Each sex has comparative strengths and weaknesses that, at the end of the day, do a remarkably good job of counterbalancing each other. End.

Criminy...

exactly

Bootsy Whoosh · 01-30-2006, 10:31 PM

Well I found it to be an interesting article and hardly worthy of getting worked up over. I guess I assumed swedace was simply sharing a news item as opposed to trying to start a fight about the stronger sex.

swedeace · 01-30-2006, 10:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bootsy Whoosh

Well I found it to be an interesting article and hardly worthy of getting worked up over. I guess I assumed swedace was simply sharing a news item as opposed to trying to start a fight about the stronger sex.

Thank you. You took the words out of my mouth.

It was purely intended to be as one of those other "fun news" threads I have seen where SOers just had a fun laugh about other similar type of humorous threads but not taken as seriously. That is what I thought this was going to turn out. I didn't intend for it to be sarcastic or mocking. Just as we were talking about in that thread about "personalities."

When I posted this article, I meerly imagined people just commenting on the article itself and just finding it amusing. I had no idea it was going to be taken seriously. It was not my intention.

EmoJoe · 01-30-2006, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swedeace

Thank you. You took the words out of my mouth.

It was purely intended to be as one of those other "fun news" threads I have seen where SOers just had a fun laugh about it but not to be taken seriously. I didn't intend for it to be sarcastic or mocking. Just as we were talking about in that thread about "personalities."

When I posted this article, I meerly imagined people just commenting on the article itself and just finding it amusing. I had no idea it was going to be taken seriously. It was not my intention.

oh i thought you were serious

sorry

Chad Michael Murray · 01-30-2006, 11:44 PM

Just for the record, my comment was meant to be humorous.

lockdown06 · 01-31-2006, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seth

Each sex has comparative strengths and weaknesses that, at the end of the day, do a remarkably good job of counterbalancing each other. End.

Criminy...

10-4

01-30-2006, 01:06 AM	#1
swedeace Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 22, 2003 Posts: 9,009	Who is actually the weaker sex? Find out.... http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default...-1-2006_pg6_11 Stress Results in Stronger Boys H E A L T H: Stress results in stronger boys Populations of boys born in stressful times enjoy an advantage their whole lives, living longer, on average, than males born in times of peace and prosperity, US researchers reported on Monday. The study adds to earlier findings that pregnant women are more likely to miscarry male fetuses than females fetuses during times of stress. It shows that this tendency to miscarry males has a culling effect, said Ralph Catalano of the School of Public Health at the University of California, Berkeley, who led the study. “The populations are hardier because they lost the weak ones earlier,” Catalano said in a telephone interview. “No individuals got stronger — it’s just that the weak ones aren’t there.” The findings, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, also solidify what biologists have long known — that males are the weaker sex. “That’s one thing I can say,” Catalano said. “Statistically, it is clearly true. Compared to men, (women) are biological fortresses.” Catalano and colleague Tim Bruckner were following up on the earlier studies that showed fewer boys are born during times of stress, such as economic recessions or depressions and natural disasters. They used data from Sweden, which has a database of birth, life and death information dating back to 1751. Demographers have certified that the database can be extrapolated to the global population in absence of more precise information from other regions. EVEN RATIO: On average, around the world, about 105 boys are born for every 100 girls. But males are more likely to die young in general, and by the time couples are courting the ratio is fairly even. Except after hard times: There are two competing theories as to why, Catalano said. One was that a stressed pregnant woman produces more of a hormone called cortisol, which in turn damages fetuses. Damaged fetuses are frequently miscarried. “Because male fetuses are more fragile than female fetuses, they are more likely to be damaged,” Catalano said. Cortisol often makes a male fetus kick and squirm, and a second theory holds that a mother’s body will miscarry a male fetus that does not kick or wiggle strongly enough and which is, presumably, weak. “It’s not in her evolutionary interest to have a weak son in times of stress,” Catalano said. “He may not survive or may not be competitive for females.” Both theories predict that fewer boys would be born, but they would have different long-term outcomes, Catalano said. Either all the male fetuses are damaged a little, and the boys who are born are weakened, or the miscarriage process culls the weak fetuses and leaves the strong ones. So they looked at the data. In Sweden, after the most stressful times such as a famine, men’s lives were four months longer than in happier times. “The weak boys got culled out and those boys that survived are hardier on average. They live longer,” Catalano said. For an individual, this might be a small difference but over a population it is significant, Catalano said. Catalano said he has seen the same effects in action today. “In California after 9-11 we reported that the sex ratio in California went down,” he said. “Many more males than you would expect died after Sept. 11 in utero.” Similar effects were seen after the collapse of East Germany in 1991, he said, when unemployment soared in the former socialist state.

01-30-2006, 08:23 AM	#2
Chad Michael Murray Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,493	WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ...wait, HUH?! Okay, I demand a recount.
	__________________ "I think that I’m definitely connected to my sensitive side. I pretty much wear my emotions on my sleeves for the people in my life." --Chad Michael Murray

01-30-2006, 08:42 AM	#3
EmoJoe Cool cool cool Forum Addict Join Date: Apr 23, 2004 Location: New Jersey Posts: 71,478	these things are stupid. there IS no stronger sex. god people.
	__________________ "I know the difference between TV and reality, Jeff. TV has structure, it makes sense, there are likable leading men. In real life, we have this. We have you." - Abed Nadir, Community www.sitcomsarestupid.blogspot.com

01-30-2006, 09:16 AM	#4
Chelsea Semi-retired Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 07, 2001 Location: Washington Posts: 5,727	Each sex has comparative strengths and weaknesses that, at the end of the day, do a remarkably good job of counterbalancing each other. End. Criminy...
	__________________ Chelsea Former Administrator, 2005-2012 Former Member, DVD Review Team, 2004-2010.

01-30-2006, 10:31 PM	#6
Bootsy Whoosh Storms abrewin'... Senior Member Join Date: May 16, 2001 Location: The Alpha Quadrant, Sector 001 Posts: 2,104	Well I found it to be an interesting article and hardly worthy of getting worked up over. I guess I assumed swedace was simply sharing a news item as opposed to trying to start a fight about the stronger sex.
	__________________ Watch your thoughts; they become your words. Watch your words; they become your actions. Watch your actions; they become your habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. Watch your character for it will become your destiny. - unknown

01-30-2006, 11:44 PM	#9
Chad Michael Murray Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2005 Location: Illinois Posts: 1,493	Just for the record, my comment was meant to be humorous.