Abstract
The question about which factors determine the fate of a developing fetus to become either male or female has occupied many previous cultures and scientists. The “thermal hypothesis”, put forth by the ancient Greek philosopher and scientist Empedokles of Akras (about 460 BC), claimed that temperature was an important factor in sex determination (Plato, translated by Jowett 1953). Conception in a hot uterus would produce a male, in a cold uterus a female. Aristotle of Stagirus (384 to 322 BC) was convinced that sheep and goats would produce male offspring when warm winds were blowing from the south during copulation, but female offspring when cold winds were blowing from the north (Aristotle, translated by Cresswell 1862).
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Döhler, K.D. (1998). Influence of Hormones and Hormone Antagonists on Sexual Differentiation of the Brain. In: Seiler, J.P., Autrup, J.L., Autrup, H. (eds) Diversification in Toxicology — Man and Environment. Archives of Toxicology, vol 20. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-46856-8_12
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