some folks here seem to enjoy science, weird or otherwise ... fs
Science - Reuters
Scientists Find Warmth May Make Some Flies Gay
Fri Nov 15,10:25 AM ET
BERLIN (Reuters) - A leading German magazine reported on Friday that researchers have found a certain type of fly can show homosexual tendencies when temperatures are increased above 86 degrees Fahrenheit.
The monthly natural science magazine "Geo" said researchers at the Beckman Research Institute in Los Angeles had found the fruit fly "drosophila melanogaster" had developed a "homosexual preference" when the laboratory temperature was increased from about 19 degrees to above 30 degrees.
"The male flies displayed clear heterosexual activities when temperatures were at 19 degrees, but above 30 degrees their behavior changed within minutes," the report in the December issue of "Geo" released on Friday said.
"The male flies ignored the female partners at that point and chased after their male counterparts. As soon as the temperature was reduced again, they returned to their original behavior."
The fruit fly, which is about 3 mm long, typically accumulates around spoiled fruit. It is one of the most valuable organisms in biological research, particularly in genetics and developmental biology.
The scientists that made the discovery were led by Toshihiro Kitamoto.