Based on our understanding of natural selection, at first glance sexual reproduction doesn't appear to be advantageous from the female perspective (due to the two-fold cost of sex). However, the fact that sexual reproduction is so common in all groups of organisms suggests that there must be some major benefits of sex that outweight the costs.
Reading
The Advantages of Sex- Matt Ridley
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/evolution/sex/advantage/index.html
Expected Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course a fully engaged student should be able to
- explain "the two-fold costs of sex"
- discuss possible benefits of sexual reproduction including adaptation to environmental uncertainty and fighting disease
- be able to discuss the problem of the evolution of antiobiotic resistant microbes
- be able to discuss what the medical field may be able to learn from observing how nature fights disease.
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