In most mammals, one gene determines sex. But 100 million years ago, platypuses and echidnas went their own way

By Linda Shearwin, Researcher, Comparative Genome Biology Laboratory, University of Adelaide
Frank Grützner, Professor, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide

For decades, scientists have known that platypuses and echidnas – Australia’s unique egg-laying mammals – have another developmental quirk: they don’t use the same genetic toolkit as other mammals to develop male and female embryos.

What’s more, just how they do it has been a mystery. Until now.

In a recent study published in Genome Biology, our research team has found strong evidence that monotreme sex comes down to a single gene – one that’s much more like what we…

Read complete article

~	Podcast: Lokman on belonging to both Hong Kong and the Netherlands

~	Satellite imagery reveals total razing of Khuza’a in May 2025 in further evidence of Israel’s wanton destruction and genocide in Gaza

~	What do we know about the Air India crash? How did one man survive? What now? An aviation safety expert explains

~	Speculation about the cause of Air India crash is rife. An aviation expert explains why it’s a problem

~	As Antarctic sea ice shrinks, iconic emperor penguins are in more peril than we thought

~	Trump may push Albanese on defence spending, but Australia has leverage it can use, too

~	How long is a vagina? And how do I know if mine is ‘short’?

~	World News in Brief: ‘Indifference and impunity’ in Sudan, ICC judges speak out against sanctions, respiratory diseases overlooked in Europe

~	Friday essay: foggy, flirty and too much – Jane Austen’s menopausal women solicit compassion while making us laugh

~	Sunday Too Far Away at 50: how a story about Aussie shearers launched a local film industry