How Sex Works

How Sex Works

“We’re here to explore human sexuality from beginning to end,” writes Sharon Moalem in the Introduction of How Sex Works. And so we do: Beginning with the onset of puberty, we go on to examine the physical hallmarks of adult sexuality; the physiology of attraction and arousal; and what actually happens to our bodies during the act itself. We also see why sexual reproduction evolved at all (why don’t we just divide like cells?); ponder the mechanics of STDs; and more.

Insights abound on every page. We learn, for example, that the age of first menstruation in women has fallen from 17 to 12 over the past 150 years due to a variety of factors, including diet and stress. We also discover that the same reason lies behind males’ attraction to women with symmetrical breasts and to women with hourglass shapes: They both denote higher fertility.

Speaking of guys, can you guess which male primate has the biggest...er...reason to gloat? It’s Homo sapiens. Nevertheless, chimpanzees have a relatively larger testicle size; these primates are more promiscuous than we are, and the males who produce the most sperm have the best chance of actually impregnating a female.

Did you know that being in love with someone actually works to dampen the sexual appeal of strangers that we might otherwise find attractive? Or that women are more likely to fall in love with super-masculine types when they are ovulating? Or that our partner’s smell plays a significant (if subconscious) role in our decision to have children? It’s all true, as Moalem shows.

Moving forward, the book explores everything from same-sex attraction, to the evolution and purpose of female orgasm, to the reason there is sex at all: It speeds evolution by reshuffling the genetic deck every generation—faster evolution means a species has better odds to find advantageous adaptations—and prevents any parasites inhabiting the parents from being passed on.

Think you already know everything about sex? How Sex Works answers questions you’d never even thought to ask.

Hardcover: 288 pages

Publisher: HarperCollins ( May 01, 2009 )

Item #: 73-7188

ISBN: 9780061479656

Product Dimensions: 6.125 x 9.0 x 0.0 inches

Product Weight: 16.0 ounces