Scientists have again debunked the idea of a single “gay gene”, in the largest study to date of the genetics of same-sex sexual behaviour. Rather, their findings paint a diverse and complex picture of human sexuality, and the genetic factors that influence it. Nearly half a million people took part in the study, mostly from the United Kingdom and the United States, which was published in the journal Science today. While we’ve known from previous twin and family studies that our sexual preferences are influenced by our genes, it’s been difficult for scientists to pinpoint whether any specific genetic markers could play a role. While most previous studies have involved only a few hundred or a few thousand participants, this international collaboration is at least 100 times larger and more able to draw robust conclusions, the researchers said.