Of "Nature", genetic mutation rate and the kilt

[Rick]

I recently purchased a copy of "All About Your Kilt" by Bob Martin in which I found a reference to a paper published in the journal "Nature" that refers to the kilt. (L. Ehrenberg, G. Von Ehrenstein, "Gonad Temperature and Spontaneous Mutation-rate in Man" Nature, 21 December 1957, pp 1433-1434.) Being a scientist, all be it, a materials scientist, I just had to read this one.

The title basically says it all. As a product of the cold war period and the early nuclear age, the paper points out the greater influence of temperature on mutation rate vs. typical radiation exposure. It concludes with an observation that the regimental wearing of the kilt may be a means of reducing mutation rates. While I can not critically assess this paper, I can say that it has made for some interesting conversations with my kilt sceptical friends (and their girlfriends.)

Rick

[Tattoo Bradley]

Anything's possible I s'pose.

[Kilted KT]

having gone through a few years of infertility "treatments" with my wife, I can very confidentaly say that the kilt, and it's air conditioning, is very beneficial to the bearing of children, as we spent nearly $20k trying to have a child...after which we started looking into adoption, and I bought a kilt...now I have a son!

so...be careful...kilts = pregnant wives!!!!

[auld argonian]

I know that I'm sounding like a Frasier-geek but I ca't help remembering the episode where Niles and Daphne are trying to conceive and Niles' pants are beeping because his "TestiCool 2000", which is keeping his "nether regions" at a constant 96 degrees, needs to be recharged. Tight jeans have been blamed for a lot of problems and quirks in the field of male fertiity owing to their keeping "the boys" too close to the body and thus at a higher temperature than they were designed to be held at.

Another anecdotal bit of biz is the theory that military fighter pilots tend to father more girls than boys statistically...this is attributed to their throwing more "g's" than the average schmoe and that this has an effect on the genes that they're passing on...boo-yah!

Go figger...

Best

AA

[mbhandy]

I bought a kilt...now I have a son!

so...be careful...kilts = pregnant wives!!!!

I think it might be the accessability issue :rolleyes:

MrBill

[keepoffgrass]

its all about keeping the boys nice and cool

[GTRMAN]

The testicles were designed to be kept at a temperature at or below that of normal body temperatures. Otherwise, you are cooking the little swimmers. Tight pants combined with underwear and sitting all day causes a temperature build up in the region that nature specifically intended to remain relatively cool..

This is one reason I am adament about wearing kilts at work. It's MUCH more comfortable!!! :rolleyes:

[davedove]

That sounds like a great way to get the kilt into the workplace. Tell the powers that be that you are trying to get the wife pregnant and you are wearing the kilt to increase fertility. Then, once the boss is used to the kilt, just keep wearing it.

[Blu (Ontario)]

Items that are published in "Nature" undergo a very rigorous review. It would not be published if it didn't have some merit.


.

[Sir Robert]

You bet that testiculer temperature is directly related to fertility.

As for the pilot's extra male children, this is due to LACK of ejacjulation. It seems that if a male has a lot of orgasims, he produces lotsa X bearing sperm thus girls. Infrequent orgasims produce more Y bearing sperm, thus male children.

Quite frankly we do not have enough information to make much more than guesses.

This much we know: if you want kids, wear a kilt and have sex. Which seems to be a good idea reguardless.