Scientists Took Semen Onto A "Vomit Comet" Flight, And The Results Were Concerning : science

[–] Francisco@lemmy.world 23 points 1 hour ago* (last edited 1 hour ago)

After sparing this paper a fair bit of attention I feel I've wasted it.

Nowhere in the paper could i find in what conditions the test samples were kept during the experiment. This is pretty basic stuff. At this stage I'd wage sloshing was the issue.

Reading this part of the methodology:

"2.2 Initial sperm analysis

After liquefaction...

[Two paragraphs later, in the same section: ] After this first analysis, the 15 sperm samples were split into two fractions. All the samples were exposed to 'Parabolic flight' (split 1) and to..."

Did they liquefied the samples and tested like that? Whaa?

The "After this first analysis" should not be in the "2.2 Initial sperm analysis". It just shouldn't!

Then I think "15 sperm samples were split into two fractions". ... "the samples were exposed to 'Parabolic flight' (split 1)"

splits, fractions, what a mess!! At this stage I've wasted enough.

The paper should be retracted, the reviewers spanked and the editor fired.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 41 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

A few seconds of microgravity? Something sounds off, that would probably be enough to be seen in parachutists and fighter pilots. I think I'm going to wait for the peer review on this one...

[–] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 4 points 47 minutes ago (1 children)

Also can we stop trying to figure out how humans are going to survive off earth... Until we at least make earth livable again? Like "Genius of the Century" Elon Musk is pouring billions into trying to get man to Mars while actively helping to making earth unlivable.

Like no one should be allowed to leave this rock until it either becomes Paradise or worse than fucking Mars!

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 2 points 28 minutes ago (1 children)

If you're going to call for the stopping of advancement of science while we figure out how to not be horrible we might as well just cash it out now.

[–] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 1 points 13 minutes ago

Not my point. Advancement should never be stopped but us as a civilization needs push that science towards solving the most immediate and important problems.

Just a observation. Wish it was reality. But with enough social collaboration we can make one man's wet dream of being the last of humanity, while spreading his "Superior" seed across the cosmos; socially, financially, and legally unacceptable.

[–] originalucifer@moist.catsweat.com 16 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

comparing an existing sample exposed to small doses of micro-gravity seems incredibly... useless.. compared to sperm generated in space. how can they even begin to use it to make generalizations on 'long term human space colonization'?

[–] scops@reddthat.com 8 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Especially considering the samples were exposed to supergravity as the plane came out of its dive. I feel like that would mostly invalidate whatever they were hoping to find.

Also, why do they dismiss asking ISS staff to participate in studies? Bodily autonomy doesn't mean you can't ask someone to conduct .. uh... research with you. It just means you have to respect it they say no. Astronauts seem like the types who wouldn't mind putting in a little extra effort for... science.

[–] T156@lemmy.world 1 points 1 hour ago

Also, why do they dismiss asking ISS staff to participate in studies? Bodily autonomy doesn’t mean you can’t ask someone to conduct … uh… research with you. It just means you have to respect it they say no. Astronauts seem like the types who wouldn’t mind putting in a little extra effort for… science.

Too many other introduced variables? Microgravity has a lot of other systemic effects on the astronauts that might affect sperm motility, even before effects to the sperm themselves. Or just individual variation/genetics on the part of the astronauts themselves.

They wouldn't be able to get a sperm sample that wasn't affected by microgravity from the astronauts to begin with.

[–] 9point6@lemmy.world 61 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Who'd have thought a headline could contain all those words

[–] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 1 points 52 minutes ago

I'm dyslexic and for a moment I was like. Why would you take people who work on boats on the vomit comet? Is it to see if their sealegs transfer to space?

ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ disorders can be fun sometimes...

Ps. Someone should do that study I mentioned.

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 33 points 3 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 56 minutes ago* (last edited 56 minutes ago) (1 children)

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

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 1 points 6 minutes ago* (last edited 5 minutes ago)

You can collect sperm samples in space, too.

[–] cyrano@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

[–] TachyonTele@lemm.ee 3 points 2 hours ago

Called it

[–] fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com 1 points 2 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 3 minutes ago* (last edited 3 minutes 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.

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 7 points 3 hours ago

gravity load

[–] j4k3@lemmy.world 9 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

Literally (fiction) speaking, I've randomly gambled on ~10 generations max before the population crashes if a generation ship arrives and fails to complete an O'Neill cylinder on the other side.

Sound legit? 4am, going to bed, so no read.

[–] 4am@lemm.ee 1 points 1 hour ago

Don’t worry I didn’t even see it until now

[–] br0da@lemmy.world 5 points 3 hours ago

Jokes on you, that’s my kink

[+] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee -8 points 3 hours ago (3 children)

Why is creating more humans a good thing in a world with all this suffering?

[–] Squizzy@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago

Most of us aren't suffering and spending time with my kids is amazing and I enioy it.

[–] angrystego@lemmy.world 3 points 1 hour ago

I get you. But that's life. Life wants to live and create more life. That's what it's about. The parts of life that ask why will be set aside and not used for the continuation of life.

[–] Arondeus@lemmy.ca 8 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

They are literally only talking about creating humans NOT on this world...

[–] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee -5 points 2 hours ago (2 children)

Not this planet, this universe

[–] 21Cabbage@lemmynsfw.com 1 points 53 minutes ago

I bet once we spread out that far there'll be nice places to live.

[–] pennomi@lemmy.world 4 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

The universe has plenty of room for more humans. There’s a shit ton of matter out there, if you can get to it.

[–] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee -1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

No, I meant to say by there being suffering in the world, I meant in the universe, rather than specifically referring to this planet and there would be no human suffering in off Earth colonies.

[–] T156@lemmy.world 1 points 58 minutes ago

... Why not just say that then? It would save much confusion.

It'd be hard to say whether there would be no suffering in off-world colonies, but I should doubt it. Traditionally, colonisation has been a dangerous thing, and human nature is as human nature does. The best you can do is reduce it so that what suffering does occur is either minor, or ineffectual.