this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2024
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Scientists Took Semen Onto A "Vomit Comet" Flight, And The Results Were Concerning (www.iflscience.com)
submitted 6 hours ago by cyrano@lemmy.dbzer0.com to c/science@lemmy.world
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"Exposure to short duration gravity load changes including microgravity, as sustained in a parabolic flight statistically significantly decreases the sperm motility and vitality of human fresh sperm samples," the team found, adding that this may have huge importance for any prolonged human settlement missions in space. 

"In the future, should humans remain in space for long periods of time with exposure to different microgravity and hypergravity peaks, which could range from months to a number of years, reproduction may pose a problem to be tackled."

The mechanism by which sperm motility was decreased remains unknown, with further study needed.

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[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 35 points 5 hours ago (3 children)

I find it very hard to believe this hasn't been tested on the ISS.

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago) (1 children)

Everything experiences zero g on the ISS. How would you test this there?

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago) (1 children)

You can collect sperm samples in space, too.

[–] unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 16 minutes ago* (last edited 15 minutes ago)

Exposure to short duration gravity load changes

Thats what the reduction in "motility and vitality" comes from. There is no way to create those conditions on the ISS so there is no point in considering the ISS for testing this.

[–] fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com 1 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

It's about the changes in microgravity, extreme G and light. Pure guess, but it's perhaps testing for travel as much as inhabitant.

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 1 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

Im sure they're testing it in as many situations as possible. This just seems less productive, like testing sperm viability on a rollercoaster.