Virgin births are no longer rare. They happen everywhere.

[Jesus Malverde]

Thelma the snake confused then astounded her keepers.

This 6m long (20 ft) python had spent four years alone in Louisville zoo in the US, without ever having met a male of her species. But, somehow, she laid over 61 eggs, producing six healthy babies.

Perhaps she’d managed to secretively mate with a male many years before, and store his sperm all this time?

Genetic tests soon revealed the answer.

Thelma had become the first reticulated python in the world known to have had a real-life virgin birth.

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20141219-spectacular-real-virgin-births

[NuclearDem]

1. Snake Jesus died for your sins!

[SkyDaddy7]

6. 6 Jesus Snakes!

YIKES!

[valerief]

10. bwahahahaha

[bigwillq]

2. Is her middle name Mary?

[Jappleseed]

3. Does this mean we get to celebrate Christmas year round?

I certainly hope so.

Hmm... Wonder if that would mean we would be in yet another endless war?

[surrealAmerican]

4. Parthenogenesis has been documented in many kinds of reptiles.

This is the first documented time for a reticulated python though.
61 eggs, and only six hatchlings is not a very good average.

[IggleDoer]

5. It's a miracle!

Holy Jeebus!

[panader0]

7. Parthenogenesis

From Wiki: \
"Parthenogenesis /ˌpɑr?ənɵˈdʒɛnɨsɨs/ is a form of asexual reproduction in which growth and development of embryos occur without fertilization. In animals, parthenogenesis means development of an embryo from an unfertilized egg cell and is a component process of apomixis.

Gynogenesis and pseudogamy are closely related phenomena in which a sperm or pollen triggers the development of the egg cell into an embryo but makes no genetic contribution to the embryo. The rest of the cytology and genetics of these phenomena are mostly identical to that of parthenogenesis."

I first learned about parthenogenesis from pot. Female plants, deprived of a nearby male, will generate seeds, just to insure survival.

[Cleita]

8. I read something rather hilarious a few years back from an eighteenth century

doctor who wrote about virgin births among unmarried women. He also noted that prostitutes had a very high rate of them. I think he said this in all innocence.

[panader0]

9. Born again virgin: from the urban dict:

Born Again Virgin

More than a year between sexual relations, with anyone else.

Since his girlfriend left him a year ago, he has become a Born again virgin. Poor guy!

[Laffy Kat]

12. Two ova could potentially fertilize each other.

The offspring would be all female, right? I thought that was parthenogenesis.

[yuiyoshida]

11. Life finds a way....