Living fossils have hot sex(egrees Fahrenheit warmer than the surrou...)

The cycad cones heat up by using the stockpile of sugars, starch and fats that normally would power everyday cell functions. Even when removed from the plant, cycad cones can go through daily heating cycles for as long as two weeks.

The increase in temperature is accompanied by a massive release of odors from the cones. One odor, a chemical named beta-myrcene, increases to toxic, lethal levels and drives the thrips out of male cones carrying small grains of pollen with them.

These cycads heat up, and associated with that heating is a huge increase in volatile fragrances emitted by the cone, Terry says. It takes your breath away. Its a harsh, overwhelming odor like nothing you ever smelled before.

Think of a guy with too much after shave, Roemer says.

Beta-myrcene at low levels is attractive to thrips. So as the cycad plants cool down, the same odor that chases them out of the cones dissipates to the point that it along with other odors attracts the thrips back into the cones. Some pollen-covered thrips, seeking more pollen to eat, inadvertently are lured into female cycad cones and pollinate them.

Its totally unusual, like being in a room with one gardenia versus lots of them, says Terry. The female cones never have as strong an odor as the male cones, but they still attract a few of the flying thrips enough to get pollinated.

Roemer says the cycad females attract the thrips because they fool the thrips into thinking they are males.

The whole cycle starts again the next day until the males wear out and the females are happily pollinated, Terry says.

Plants are thought to have evolved chemical defenses to drive away creatures that would eat them. Modern flowering plants use fragrances and/or bright colors to at
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