Sex: A Natural HistoryHow much do you really know about sex? In Sex: A Natural History, Joann Ellison Rodgers unearths both the roots of our sexual nature and the expression of our primal urges, explaining what it is that makes us male and female, and providing fascinating insights into the biology and physiology of flirtation, love, courtship, intercourse, fidelity, parenting, and nurturing. She describes scientists' discoveries about how the hormone that triggers labor contractions keeps prairie voles faithful to one mate, how the brain waves of female mice change when a male comes within smell range, and how Harlequin paperback romances and fantasies can be arousing-and what these findings tell us about our own sexuality. Sex: A Natural History illuminates one of the most powerful, and often misunderstood, aspects of human and animal existence. |
Contents
Sex Through the Eons | 1 |
Genes and Gender | 42 |
Where It Happens | 82 |
Where It Really Happen | 116 |
Some Enchanted Evening | 161 |
The Dating Game | 199 |
Kiss and Touch | 253 |
Aprodites Drugstore | 289 |
Orgasm His Hers and Theirs | 304 |
Common terms and phrases
aggression animals attraction biochemical biological biologists birds bonobo brain breasts called cells cervix chemical chimps chromosomes clitoris copulation courtship cultural David Buss dopamine ejaculation emotional erotic estrogen evidence evolution evolutionary evolved experiments fact fertility flies foreplay gender genes genetic genitals genome heterosexual homosexual human human sexual hypothalamus increase intercourse John Money least less levels limbic limbic system linked look lovemaps male and female male's mammals masturbation mate mice monogamous muscles nature nerve neurons neurotransmitters odors offspring organs orgasm oxytocin pain paraphilias parents partner penis penises percent pheromones physiological play polygyny preferences produce promiscuous protein rape rats receptors reproductive response role says scientists serotonin sex hormones sexual arousal sexual behavior sexual body sexy signals smell social societies species sperm stimulation strategies studies suggest survival symmetrical testosterone Thornhill tissue traits trigger University vagina woman women Y chromosome