ScienceAugust 22, 2026
parthenogenesis
par-thuh-no-JEN-uh-sis
Definition
A form of asexual reproduction where an organism develops from an unfertilized egg, effectively cloning itself without needing a mate.
Etymology
Derived from the Greek words 'parthenos' meaning 'virgin' and 'genesis' meaning 'origin' or 'creation', literally translating to 'virgin birth'.
In the news
The article uses this term to explain how the newly discovered nematode species can rapidly rebuild its population, as every individual is female and reproduces without mating.
A worm frozen in Siberian permafrost for 46,000 years — since woolly mammoths still roamed — was thawed in a lab dish and simply woke up, began eating, and started reproducing, because its species can shut its metabolism down to a complete standstill in
Read the full article ↗ScienceBlog.com