Will we ever have a man-free world? As a woman, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish for it in desperate times. So, when the news broke of the curious case of the disappearing Y chromosome, I didn’t lose any sleep over it. But before rejoicing, let’s see what the Y-chromosome disappearing means.

What is the Y chromosome?

The Y chromosome is the sex-determining chromosome in humans. Humans have two chromosomes — X and Y. While men have one X and one Y chromosome, women have two X chromosomes. However, the male chromosome Y determines a person’s sex. The Y chromosome in males is responsible for the development of the testis in the embryo, resulting in the defining of its sex.

Decline of Y chromosome

Most mammals share the same kind of chromosome structure, having X and Y chromosomes. The difference between these two chromosomes is the number of genes they carry. While the X chromosome carries 900 genes, the Y chromosome carries around 55 genes.

Most birds and reptiles have normal XY chromosomes, but a study showed that even Australia’s Platypuses, who are mammals, have the typical human XY chromosome pair. This means that in over 166 million years, the human Y chromosome has lost many active genes, shrinking from 900 to 55. At this rate, the Y chromosome is likely to disappear in the next 4.5 million years. 

Is it time to rejoice, ladies?

Unfortunately not. Two branches of rodents have already lost their Y chromosome and have managed to survive. A study published in the “Proceedings of the National Academy of Science” in 2022 revealed that a spiny rat has successfully developed another male-determining gene after losing its Y chromosome. So this means that there is a chance for humans to survive without the Y chromosome and develop a new male-determining gene altogether. So, while the male-determining chromosome might disappear, men surely won’t. So, ladies, you aren’t getting rid of men anytime soon, if ever.

However, scientists are worried that this might lead to humans developing multiple sex-determining systems, leading to a whole new species.

What will happen to humans when the Y chromosome completely vanishes is something we still don’t know. And you and I won’t be around to find out either. After all, 4.5 million years is a long time. Besides, based on climate change and other environmental issues, humans will probably be extinct before the Y chromosome degenerates.

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