A study by the University of New South Wales proves a theory that dates back to Ancient Greece when it was considered an accepted fact that children were physically influenced by all of their mothers’ sexual partners. The scientists discovered a new form of non-genetic inheritance demonstrated for the first time.

Dr. Angela Crean, Dr. Anna Kopps and Professor Russel Bonduriansky – the university’s scientists – manipulated the size of male flies and then studied their offspring. Curiously, they found that the young were the size of the first male their mothers had mated with rather than that of their biological father.

Dr. Crean, the study’s lead author, says that the offspring’s size was determined by the first mate and not the mate that sired it. “We know that features that run in families are not just influenced by the genes that are passed down from parents to their children,” says Dr. Crean. “Various non-genetic inheritance mechanisms make it possible for maternal or paternal environmental factors to influence the characteristics of a child.”

Even though there have been major advancements in genetics there are still a number of mysteries surrounding how some traits are inherited.

The concept of offspring that resemble previous mates is known as telegony and is stemmed in the thought of Greek philosopher Aristotle, however the idea of telegony was later discredited by modern scientists. Latest research and further advancements in genetics, however, cast credit on the original concept that has resurfaced through time.

Dr. Crean says:

“Our discovery complicates our entire view of how variation is transmitted across generations, but also opens up exciting new possibilities and avenues of research. Just as we think we have things figured out, nature throws us a curve ball and shows us how much we still have to learn.”