The notion that humans have sex for pleasure, whereas (the other) animals do it for reproduction, holds a revered position in the halls of common knowledge. To put it plainly, however, it is a lie.

The notion of producing human beings in a laboratory had long been the province of science fiction.

If you’ve ever had a spiny leaf insect as a pet, or you’re considering getting one, hopefully someone has warned you about this: if you put one in your enclosure, you might come back some time later ...