A snake in the U.K. has drawn attention to the ability of some female species to reproduce without a mate. The boa constrictor gave birth to 14 babies last week at a school in the city of Portsmouth after having no contact with any other snakes for at least nine years. The process is called parthenogenesis, from the Greek words for “virgin” and “birth.” Some plants and insects can also do it, as as well as some amphibians, reptiles, birds and fish. But it’s rare and usually only observed in captivity.
