Plural of bivalent; elements or atoms that have a valence or combining power of two; also paired homologous chromosomes during meiosis.
Plural of 'bivalent,' from Latin 'bi-' (two) + 'valens' (strong). In biology, the term also describes chromosome pairs that function as a unit during cell division.
During meiosis when cells split to make sperm and eggs, chromosomes form bivalents—they pair up and hold hands before splitting apart. This is crucial for genetic diversity because it's when chromosomes can swap DNA!
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