100 WVIA Way
Pittston, PA 18640

Phone: 570-826-6144
Fax: 570-655-1180

Copyright © 2025 WVIA, all rights reserved. WVIA is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization.
Donate
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Be Smart

Why Are There As Many Males As Females?

Season 6 Episode 5 | 5m 19s

In almost every animal species on Earth, equal numbers of males and females are conceived. Why is that? Especially in populations like lions or elephant seals, where most males don’t get to mate? That’s survival of the laziest, not survival of the fittest. It turns out that in most cases, an equal balance of the sexes is the evolutionary stable strategy.

Aired: 02/21/18
Extras
Watch • 14:50
Be Smart
The Very Weird Reason Hot Water Freezes Faster
Why can hot water sometimes freeze faster than cold water?
Episode: S14 E9 | 14:50
Watch • 27:32
Be Smart
How HIV Started a Century Before Anyone Noticed
How science unraveled one of the biggest myths in modern medicine...HIV's true origins.
Episode: S14 E8 | 27:32
Watch • 21:23
Be Smart
The New Kind of Heat Humans Can’t Handle
I pushed my body in a climate & sports research lab to discover what extreme heat really does to us.
Episode: S14 E7 | 21:23
Watch • 16:47
Be Smart
Scientists Finally Figured Out What Love Is For
What exactly is the evolutionary purpose of love?
Episode: S14 E6 | 16:47
Watch • 16:47
Be Smart
We've never seen an atom. But we know what they look like.
If everything around us is made of atoms, why can’t we actually see them?
Episode: S14 E5 | 16:47
Watch • 10:51
Be Smart
Infinity isn’t a number. It's something much weirder.
This video explores the bizarre mathematics that show how infinity is far stranger than a number.
Episode: S14 E4 | 10:51
Watch • 24:25
Be Smart
Something Strange Happens When You Flatten the Earth…
How Gerardus Mercator later created a map that transformed navigation forever.
Episode: S14 E3 | 24:25
Watch • 22:37
Be Smart
You've Been Lied to About DNA Evidence
DNA solves crimes, but what happens when it sends innocent people to prison?
Episode: S14 E2 | 22:37
Watch • 17:13
Be Smart
Traffic Lights Are So Much Weirder Than You Realize
Why are stop lights red? The real story is more complicated than you think.
Episode: S14 E1 | 17:13
Watch • 14:52
Be Smart
The Intelligence Test Where Ants Beat Humans
How thousands of tiny brains, obeying simple rules, solve problems no individual can understand.
Episode: S13 E17 | 14:52
Latest Episodes
All
  • All
  • Be Smart Season 14
  • Be Smart Season 13
  • Be Smart Season 12
  • Be Smart Season 11
  • Be Smart Season 10
  • Be Smart Season 9
  • Be Smart Season 8
  • Be Smart Season 7
  • Be Smart Season 6
  • Be Smart Season 5
  • Be Smart Season 4
  • Be Smart Season 3
  • Be Smart Season 2
  • Be Smart Season 1
Watch • 14:50
Be Smart
The Very Weird Reason Hot Water Freezes Faster
Why can hot water sometimes freeze faster than cold water?
Episode: S14 E9 | 14:50
Watch • 27:32
Be Smart
How HIV Started a Century Before Anyone Noticed
How science unraveled one of the biggest myths in modern medicine...HIV's true origins.
Episode: S14 E8 | 27:32
Watch • 21:23
Be Smart
The New Kind of Heat Humans Can’t Handle
I pushed my body in a climate & sports research lab to discover what extreme heat really does to us.
Episode: S14 E7 | 21:23
Watch • 16:47
Be Smart
Scientists Finally Figured Out What Love Is For
What exactly is the evolutionary purpose of love?
Episode: S14 E6 | 16:47
Watch • 16:47
Be Smart
We've never seen an atom. But we know what they look like.
If everything around us is made of atoms, why can’t we actually see them?
Episode: S14 E5 | 16:47
Watch • 10:51
Be Smart
Infinity isn’t a number. It's something much weirder.
This video explores the bizarre mathematics that show how infinity is far stranger than a number.
Episode: S14 E4 | 10:51
Watch • 24:25
Be Smart
Something Strange Happens When You Flatten the Earth…
How Gerardus Mercator later created a map that transformed navigation forever.
Episode: S14 E3 | 24:25
Watch • 22:37
Be Smart
You've Been Lied to About DNA Evidence
DNA solves crimes, but what happens when it sends innocent people to prison?
Episode: S14 E2 | 22:37
Watch • 17:13
Be Smart
Traffic Lights Are So Much Weirder Than You Realize
Why are stop lights red? The real story is more complicated than you think.
Episode: S14 E1 | 17:13
Watch • 14:52
Be Smart
The Intelligence Test Where Ants Beat Humans
How thousands of tiny brains, obeying simple rules, solve problems no individual can understand.
Episode: S13 E17 | 14:52