42:I[185,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/1s-yni1uf2lwd.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/3b4qrzgkt_l12.js","/_next/static/chunks/15lgs8s22dk5l.js"],"SendEmailButton"] 44:I[63625,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/1s-yni1uf2lwd.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/3b4qrzgkt_l12.js","/_next/static/chunks/15lgs8s22dk5l.js"],"AddToLibraryButton"] 45:I[29721,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/1s-yni1uf2lwd.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/3b4qrzgkt_l12.js","/_next/static/chunks/15lgs8s22dk5l.js"],"ShareButton"] 46:I[58016,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/1s-yni1uf2lwd.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/3b4qrzgkt_l12.js","/_next/static/chunks/15lgs8s22dk5l.js"],"ProcessEpisodeButton"] 47:I[45269,["/_next/static/chunks/3xnt26d00_zk-.js","/_next/static/chunks/1s-yni1uf2lwd.js","/_next/static/chunks/42spz6paskvb6.js","/_next/static/chunks/06x30xgfe6iur.js","/_next/static/chunks/3b4qrzgkt_l12.js","/_next/static/chunks/15lgs8s22dk5l.js"],"SignupCTA"] 3a:["$","time",null,{"dateTime":"2026-07-28T14:06:23.000Z","children":"July 28, 2026"}] 3b:["$","span",null,{"aria-hidden":true,"children":"·"}] 3c:["$","span",null,{"children":"01:09:04"}] 43:T429,

In this episode, Xavier Bonilla has a dialogue with Lixing Sun about the origins of sex in many species. They discuss the origins of sex, asexual reproduction, sexual reproduction, and “flip-flopping.” They discuss large and small gametes, varieties of biological sex, Dawkins and the selfish gene, sex chromosomes, changing sex, intersex, mate choice and mate competition, sexual identity, and many more topics.

Lixing Sun is a distinguished research professor at Central Washington University and a 2024–2025 Radcliffe fellow at Harvard University. He is author of The Liars of Natureand the Nature of Liars, The Fairness Instinct, and On the Origin of Sex.

Get full access to Converging Dialogues at convergingdialogues.substack.com/subscribe