Tossing it into the crowd - so to speak ...

[Mock Turtle]

Origins of masturbation traced back to primates 40m years ago

Behaviour predates humans by tens of millions of years but evolutionary purpose is less clear, scientists say

www.theguardian.com

Evolutionary purpose not clear ..

Perhaps just a bonus from God - for all those not neatly matched up in pairs.

Brindle and her colleagues delved deep into the history of the behaviour in the hope of understanding the origins of what at first glance seems an evolutionary conundrum. From an evolutionary perspective, masturbation appears costly, distracting, wasteful, even risky.

The latter only if done in public these days.

The scientists’ analyses found support for the idea that male masturbation boosted the chances of impregnating a mate. For example, a low-ranking male may masturbate just enough to increase their arousal before sex, meaning they inseminate their partner faster – and before a burly competitor has the chance to knock them off and spoil the fun. Masturbation could also help males to shed old sperm, leaving them with fresher, more competitive sperm for sex.

The last, my excuse.

Brindle said more data was needed to nail down the evolutionary drivers for masturbation in females. One idea is that masturbation before sex affords female primates some influence over which male gets them pregnant: by making the vagina less acidic, it becomes more hospitable to the chosen mate’s sperm.

But also perhaps as to making the act less painful - if lubricated.

“This is such a common behaviour across the animal kingdom, I find it absolutely baffling that nobody has researched it before,” said Brindle. “For people who think masturbation is wrong, or unnatural in some way, this is perfectly natural behaviour. It’s part of our healthy repertoire of sexual behaviours.”

And for which we can often blame religions. Such a dirty habit!

 

[Twilight Hue]

And look where we are now.

Advanced Japanese love robots!

 

[Mock Turtle]

And look where we are now.

Advanced Japanese love robots!

Are they doing it as well?