Talk: Sexual diversity in nature
This event is part of the Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition 2026.
Same-sex sexual behaviour is common in nature, but its evolutionary origins and underpinnings remain poorly understood. What role does sexual diversity play in the competitive natural world?
Drawing on her in Nature Ecology & Evolution, evolutionary biologist Dr Chloë Coxshall presents new research shedding light on the ecological and social factors that drive same-sex behaviour in primates. This flash talk offers insights into how widespread same-sex sexual behaviour really is across some of our closest non-human relatives, differences across species, and the drivers behind primate sexual diversity.
Attending the event
This event will be held in Theatre 1 at the Royal Society on Friday 3 July 2026, 6pm – 6.35pm.
- Free to attend as part of Summer Science Exhibition on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to seat availability. We recommend that visitors arrive 10-15 minutes before the session
- Eventbrite tickets for Summer Science Exhibition are recommended, with only a limited number of walk-up tickets released on the day
- This event is part of our adults-only (18+) Taking Pride in Science evening
- This talk will take place in person
- A recording of this talk will be available later on the
- Live subtitles will be available
- Travel and accessibility information and details on planning your visit - contact us directly to arrange any specific accessibility requirements
- Food and drink will be available for purchase at our onsite café
For all enquiries, please email us.