News and Events => Science & Medical News => Topic started by: stephaniec on November 03, 2015, 08:00:07 PM Return to Full Version

Title: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: stephaniec on November 03, 2015, 08:00:07 PM
Europe's oldest tree isn't transgender... it's actually intersex

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2015/11/03/europes-oldest-tree-isnt-transgender-its-actually-intersex/
Pink News/By  Michelle O'Toole   11/03/2015

"One of the UK's oldest trees has been labelled transgender... but it might actually be intersex.

The 3,000 year old Fortingall Yew Tree in Perthshire, Scotland has widely been reported as having undergone a "sex change" in many national media outlets.

The questions came after the male tree sprouted berries. Berries are usually found on female Yew trees, whereas male Yew trees produce pollen instead.

Dr Max Coleman of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Edinburgh first reported the occurrence in his blog last week."
Title: Re: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: Shana-chan on November 04, 2015, 02:06:01 PM
Sooo, it's not just humans now but plants too that can be transgender/intersex, wait, plants can be male or female? O__O Nobody told me this! Not the magic school bus, not school, not TV, no one!

Perhaps we should use this to further our proof of what we've been saying when talking to the naysayers. :P
Title: Re: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: Laura_7 on November 04, 2015, 02:35:50 PM
Quote from: Shana-chan on November 04, 2015, 02:06:01 PM
Sooo, it's not just humans now but plants too that can be transgender/intersex, wait, plants can be male or female? O__O Nobody told me this! Not the magic school bus, not school, not TV, no one!

Perhaps we should use this to further our proof of what we've been saying when talking to the naysayers. :P

There are transgender fish and frogs who can completely change their gender.
How about that ? :)
Title: Re: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: Shana-chan on November 05, 2015, 03:13:45 PM
Quote from: Laura_7 on November 04, 2015, 02:35:50 PM
There are transgender fish and frogs who can completely change their gender.
How about that ? :)
I knew about fish, but not frogs. Pretty sure it's without human intervention right? But yea, I'm less surprised for creatures as I am for plants.
Title: Re: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: Laura_7 on November 07, 2015, 03:48:29 AM
Quote from: Shana-chan on November 05, 2015, 03:13:45 PM
I knew about fish, but not frogs. Pretty sure it's without human intervention right? But yea, I'm less surprised for creatures as I am for plants.

This is from wikipedia:
The common reed frog (Hyperolius viridiflavus) is a species of tree frogs ...
These west African frogs have been known to ... change sex from female to male.

So this is an example which could be told to people.
Title: Re: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: iKate on November 12, 2015, 10:39:51 AM
Aren't most plants intersex anyway? As in they have ovaries and produce pollen and can even self pollinate. Only a few plants I've ever seen had male and female. Cannabis for example.
Title: Re: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: iKate on November 12, 2015, 10:41:49 AM
Quote from: Laura_7 on November 07, 2015, 03:48:29 AM
This is from wikipedia:
The common reed frog (Hyperolius viridiflavus) is a species of tree frogs ...
These west African frogs have been known to ... change sex from female to male.

So this is an example which could be told to people.

I believe that frog DNA was used in Jurassic park to make up the missing DNA from the dinosaurs. They made them all female to prevent them from reproducing. Problem is some of them changed sex...

But I wouldn't even bother explaining this to people who don't believe in things like evolution.
Title: Re: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: Laura_7 on November 12, 2015, 12:08:35 PM
Quote from: iKate on November 12, 2015, 10:41:49 AM
I believe that frog DNA was used in Jurassic park to make up the missing DNA from the dinosaurs. They made them all female to prevent them from reproducing. Problem is some of them changed sex...

But I wouldn't even bother explaining this to people who don't believe in things like evolution.

Well imo it doesn't have to be an intricate example.

Telling that its completely normal for some species to change their sex might do.


hugs
Title: Re: Europe’s oldest tree isn’t transgender… it’s actually intersex
Post by: Tristyn on November 12, 2015, 12:49:28 PM
Quote from: Laura_7 on November 04, 2015, 02:35:50 PM
There are transgender fish and frogs who can completely change their gender.
How about that ? :)

That's freakin' breathtaking and even more breathtaking cause even from this scientific fact/discovery, not much of the world's views have changed all that much for our benefit. >.>

Also, I've read that male seahorses are the ones to conceive their offspring and not the females.

Like if animals can be this dynamic, why not humans too?  ???

~Nixy~