Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. For most species on Earth, the ultimate goal of life is to ...

(CNN) — In a historic first, scientists have used gene editing to induce virgin birth in fruit flies, a major step in unlocking the mysteries of the intriguing phenomenon known as parthenogenesis.

For the first time, scientists have induced facultative parthenogenesis, a form of asexual reproduction, in an animal that usually reproduces sexually. An estimated 76 percent of fruit flies can ...

Editor’s note: Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news on fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. In a historic first, scientists have ...