I know it is possible to have 1 or 2 sexes, but is it possible to have three types of sexes. If so could you explain to me how reproduction would work? This is a serious question.
-
Yes it could be perfectly possible. Many things could be possible when it comes to life on other planets that we would find very strange. For example all life on Earth is carbon based, but there's nothing to say that on another planet it couldn't be nitrogen or oxygen, or even something bizarre like chlorine or mercury based.....
As far as how it could work: humans are diploid organisms, meaning we have 2 full sets of chromosomes; 2 copies of each one. However, there are some species even here that can be triploid or tetraploid organisms. Usually it isn't natural and the organism cannot reproduce or may not be able to survive, but sometimes, especially in plants, they can have desirable traits. For example, grass carp are common in some ponds to keep it clean of weeds, but they aren't pretty fish so you don't want them to reproduce and take over. You can get grass carp with 3 sets of chromosomes (triploid) and that makes them sterile so they can't reproduce. Seedless fruits are another example.
Anyway, in humans since we have 46 chromosomes, or 2 copies of all 23 different chromosomes, our sex cells have to have half the number of a normal human. They go through meiosis and come out with 23 chromosomes. Then they combine to give you a 46 chromosomed human.
Point being, there could be an alien species that has to have 3 or more sets of all chromosomes (assuming they have chromosomes or DNA at all). Their reproduction could work essentially the same as ours somehow, and require 3 parents. Each of the parent's sex cells would have 1/3 the total number they need to reproduce, so when the 3 come together it forms a viable alien fetus.
Just a thought. Hope that satisfies you. That's a very interesting question, and I think it is totally possible. Maybe not likely, but who knows.
As far as how it could work: humans are diploid organisms, meaning we have 2 full sets of chromosomes; 2 copies of each one. However, there are some species even here that can be triploid or tetraploid organisms. Usually it isn't natural and the organism cannot reproduce or may not be able to survive, but sometimes, especially in plants, they can have desirable traits. For example, grass carp are common in some ponds to keep it clean of weeds, but they aren't pretty fish so you don't want them to reproduce and take over. You can get grass carp with 3 sets of chromosomes (triploid) and that makes them sterile so they can't reproduce. Seedless fruits are another example.
Anyway, in humans since we have 46 chromosomes, or 2 copies of all 23 different chromosomes, our sex cells have to have half the number of a normal human. They go through meiosis and come out with 23 chromosomes. Then they combine to give you a 46 chromosomed human.
Point being, there could be an alien species that has to have 3 or more sets of all chromosomes (assuming they have chromosomes or DNA at all). Their reproduction could work essentially the same as ours somehow, and require 3 parents. Each of the parent's sex cells would have 1/3 the total number they need to reproduce, so when the 3 come together it forms a viable alien fetus.
Just a thought. Hope that satisfies you. That's a very interesting question, and I think it is totally possible. Maybe not likely, but who knows.