It say sound preposterous but parthenogenesis or virgin birth is as old as the human race. It is almost universally accepted among indigenous people that there are/were two types of conception; the normal way between a man and a woman, and for a woman to do so on her own, via the knowledge from the tribal wise-women. It is said that Buddha's mother conceived her son when in a state of blissful meditation under a banyan tree. Mary conceived Jesus in more or less the same way. It's also been said that Leonardo Divinci, Joan of Ark, Moses, one of our Saint Catherine’s, Moses, (floating down a river in a basket?) Zoroaster and scores more geniuses, visionaries and healers throughout history came about this way. If many of the lower species can and do conceive parthenogenetically I don't think it's too shocking to assume that humans can too. Based on this fact alone I can't imagine why scientists aren’t more curious. A hundred years ago the famous biologist, Jacques Loeb realized that: "The Male is not necessary for reproduction. A simple physio-chemical agent in the female is enough to bring it about." Though no mammals have been known to have given birth parthenogenetically, Jacques Loeb got monkey embryos to fertilize through various means like electrical fields and saline solutions etc. In the early 70's I read and wrote a review for a book about the Ojibwa or Chippewa people. (Sorry, I can't remember the title.) The author spent a decade re-searching oral stories from the Ojibwa’s old traditional speakers that existed before the coming of the Whiteman. One story was that wise-women of the tribe looked for certain young maidens that possessed grace, intelligence and compassion. Sometimes a candidate for conceiving and giving birth this way wouldn't show up for a generation or two. Nevertheless, these wise-women kept an eagle-eye open for her. When found, men were not allowed to court her. When she reached the age of fertility, her first period, she was instructed to fast for several days and, if willing, was required to dance around a fire in a sacred women's lodge built far away from the village. This ceremony occurred while she was ovulating. Ideally a state of bliss or ecstasy was reached during which, according to hidden wise women knowledge, it would be possible for her to conceive and give birth in the "old Way". They also knew that a child born this way would be blessed with gifts of healing, clairvoyance or leadership. The Great Spirit would give to the child whatever tools the tribe might be in need of. I believe this is what happened among The Essenes along The Dead Sea over 2,000 years ago. Jesus was the result. It's my guess that hey planned it. Also, I might venture to say that this "old way" of conceiving and giving birth was considered a no-no during a time when patriarchy was firmly established.
It is preposterous.