There's a very scientific explanation as to why men just might become extinct.

We’re here to report that according to genetic experts, men could become extinct.

While it might have crossed our minds as we watched our partners fish a piece of burnt toast out of the toaster with a knife, it’s now been confirmed by science.

And all it’s going to take is a short 4.6 million years before the male Y chromosome maybe runs itself into the ground.

As it currently stands the sex of an unborn baby is generally determined by the presence of the Y chromosome in sperm at the point of conception – genetically women usually have two X chromosomes, while men usually have an X and a Y chromosome.

However, as stated by Professor Darren Griffin and Peter Ellis from the University of Kent, the Y chromosome has, “a fundamental flaw.”

Writing for The Conversation they say that because the Y chromosome is only present as a single copy, versus all the other cells in our body that have two copies, it can’t undergo “genetic recombination,” or the shuffling of genes that ” eliminate damaging gene mutations.”

And they say that as the Y chromosome can only get copied and pasted from father to son, it’s slowly has been been degrading over time and could be lost from the genome.

Despite this, Griffin and Ellis say “there is little need to worry.”

Genetic engineering might soon be able to replace the need for the Y chromosome, and they make sure to state that “we don’t even know whether the Y chromosome will disappear at all. Even if it does, we will most likely continue to need men so that normal reproduction can continue”.

*Rips up plans for eventual female domination.*

LISTEN: From the revival of the ‘slut strands’ to why surprise parties are never a good idea, you can catch up with what the Mamamia Out Loud team are talking about this week right here.

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