Ways of eating idlis

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 During my trip down South, I had the opportunity to watch common people enjoy traditional southern foods. Idlis are one such popular food items that can be consumed anytime of the day. They can be had during breakfast, lunch, or dinner or anytime in between.  Idlis are traditionally South Indian delicacies. They are rice and lentil cakes that are steamed. They are usually salty but in Mauritius, you will find sweet varities as well in small shops and restaurants there.  Idlis are healthy food items and are a good source of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. They have minerals and vitamins and have the goodness of fermented foods too. They are served with sambhar (curry made of dal) and chutney (coconut, tomato or the like). Some also savour them with yoghurt, ghee (clarified butter) or spice mix (podi).  Idli pizza A modern twist to idli dish has been as idli masala (idlis usually small-sized covered with spices), idli fry (idlis usually small-sized that are...
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The mystery of sex and sexual reproduction that even confused Charles Darwin, the father of evolution!

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Evolution has always helped the creatures of this world! It has allowed better survival and ways to do it. Evolution has led to the formation of the higher form of animals and humans. The process of replication has also evolved. First, it was the asexual means and in this, an organism divides and produces a progeny. This is seen in bacteria, some plants, and also some animals during certain times. And in the higher forms came the sexual reproduction. In this, two members of the same species have sex and the DNA or genome of the two combine to produce a new genome and life. This concept of sex and sexual reproduction is a mystery for scientists. Even Charles Darwin, the father of evolution was confused with this concept of sex. He wrote in the year 1862: 

"We do not even in the least know the final cause of sexuality; why new beings should be produced by the union of the two sexual elements. The whole subject is as yet hidden in darkness."

Sexual reproduction [Source: Quora]


If you think closely on it, compared to asexual reproduction, sexual reproduction is messier. It is more troublesome, more time-consuming, and more costly. Besides, the end result is a mixer and not a replica of the former being. It is also more dangerous because one member has to attract a mate for sex and the result of it a reproduction. With so many disadvantages, is there any probable advantage of sexual reproduction over asexual reproduction? 

Any advantages of sexual reproduction?

There seem to be no obvious advantages of sexual reproduction. Hence scientists have to hypothesize and propose and postulate theories for it. In 1886, the evolutionary biologist from Germany, August Weismann had proposed one advantage. He stated that sexual reproduction gives an opportunity to reshuffle genes and produce a different person with individual differences. And sex is a process to combine two resources into one. He felt that this would help to have a better individual who can respond to environmental stresses in a better way! He stated that sex helps to speed up evolution. Do you agree? 

Sexual reproduction is messier, dangerous, and troublesome than asexual reproduction [Source: YouTube]

August also felt that some animals reproduce asexually for most of the year and switch to sexual reproduction when environmental stress is increased. 

Read here Mauritius and the story of its sugarcane plantations! 

Chris Adami and his opinion

Chris Adami from Michigan State University has a theoretical explanation for it. He states that evolution is about information acquisition and preservation. It is a learning process that an organism gets and passes it to the next generation through its DNA. This process is more efficient with sexual reproduction. He states: 

"Acquisition and maintenance of information are necessary for evolution to work – remembering the old and imagining the future."

Attracting act, choosing, and sexual selection in sexual reproduction [Source: Slideplayer]

But then the question is why have males? Charles Darwin felt that besides natural selection, another thing was acting on evolution. This was the sexual selection and it means preferences by one sex of certain characteristics in the other sex. These two are required for population genetic health. And the earliest thing to have a sexual reproduction was a red alga or a seaweed. 


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