After the primordial Earth produced the miracle of life, a remarkable
and strange "accident" soon came to pass. This accident was sex - a new
creation that would irrevocably alter the course of life on our planet.
This magnificent event would engender the multitude of life forms that
have come to walk, swim, and fly upon this Earth. Dr. Maxwell takes us
on an eye-opening tour of the bizarre, fascinating, infinitely diverse
world of sexual relations. From single-celled organisms to human beings,
Maxwell unlocks the secrets of survival, describing in rich detail the
matings, meetings, and sexual make-ups of a generous sampling of land
and sea creatures. The story of sex can be startling and savage: the
female firefly uses her glowing lantern to lure male fireflies of
related species by flashing the other species' mating code; the males
are no good as mates but they make a delicious meal. Maxwell's story
also includes an in-depth look at the uniqueness of human sexuality - he
reveals why human beings, inheritors of an unusual collection of sexual
traits, are considered the "sexiest" of the primates. The sex
imperative - the irresistible impulse to engage in sexual relations -
has enabled animals to share their genes and evolve. Maxwell traces the
progress of sex from the simple sharing of genes between cells to the
elaborate courtship rituals that developed so sperm could merge with
egg. In the effort to join sperm and egg, species have developed some
astounding and unusual sexual adaptations. As Maxwell vividly describes
the sex lives of various creatures, he attests to the resiliency and
amazing adaptability of life to its everchanging environment. By
focusing on the diversity of animalsexual relationships, Maxwell enables
us to question the very basis of sexuality: What is sex? Why did it
evolve? How does sexuality and survival shape the social behavior of
animals and humans? The sex imperative is indeed the driving force
behind Darwin's theory of random varia
