Yesterday, zoologist Jules Howard announced that he had made an app — a VR experience in which you explore a 3D model of a duck vagina.
Hello fellow science nerds, so me and @sexinnature have got some (I hope) cool news. It’s taken a while to do but… today we launch our VR duck vagina experience! You may have questions at this point and that’s ok. THREAD UP. https://t.co/XYCV7iQu7Q
The app provides educational information about ducks and their reproductive systems, exploring a vagina like a VR "rollercoaster."
View this video on YouTube
Howard told BuzzFeed News that the experience was inspired by his disappointment upon discovering that people on the internet are overwhelmingly more interested in animal penises than they are in animal vaginas.
So, anyhoo. I did my shows etc. and talked about this phenomenon for a few years and sometimes people in the audiences would say that there was a bias towards penises because vaginas are internal structures and not bibbling around and exposed and everything.
"I randomly googled the phrase 'Which animal has the biggest penis?' and was rewarded with about 30,000 web results," he said. "Then I googled the same corresponding phrase for vaginas. Guess how many pages came back? One page."
If you'd like to read about animal penises, BuzzFeed has a multitude of articles here.
And this one (by the brill @edyong209) about @sexinnature's research and the issues around biases facing genitalia research and how we consume it. https://t.co/xiuO9tBvSX
At around the same time, Howard met Professor Patricia Brennan, a "proper celeb among animal vagina aficionados." Brennan and Howard discussed the topic, and particularly Brennan's 3D model of a duck vagina.
Brennan told BuzzFeed News that her working on the game was a coincidence 10 years in the making.
"About 10 years ago I discovered that female ducks in some species had evolved really complex vaginas to prevent full eversion of the male penis, because in some species male ducks force females to copulate," she said. "Last year I started examining genitalia in 3D, because the structures are too complex for 2D and we finally have technology to make 3D more accessible. Jules contacted me to ask if by chance I had a 3D model of a duck vagina, and having just made one, I sent it to him so he could try out developing this VR app."
Both began to work together to make learning about a duck vagina accessible and a "wow experience." Howard said that "the science, the brains, and the voice" of the game is all Brennan.
Howard said the game has taken about a year to build, but reactions to its release have made the work worth it.
Finally the game we needed. 🙏 https://t.co/fDGQMCHg0l
There is now an app available for android called 'VR (Virtual Reality) Duck Genitalia Explorer'.
This is officially my new favourite email in my inbox: "Your VR DUCK GENITALIA app has arrived", courtesy of @juleslhoward And it sure delivers a rollercoaster experience! https://t.co/1EJZS8DhHA
Howard also said that he is open for future games about different animals' vaginas.
yes yes yes yes yes yes duck vaginas forever https://t.co/tTj4fBw56x
"Hell, why not? If any scientist out there happens to have a 3D model of another animal's vagina lying around, I'd be happy to help," he said.
@pkwilkins @juleslhoward @sexinnature I’m in the middle of the Sahara, it’s the best thing I’ve seen in 2 weeks
The game is available on Android via the Google Play store if you wish to join the animal vagina revolution.
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