this post was submitted on 17 Nov 2024
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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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[–] 9point6 95 points 2 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] NatakuNox 10 points 2 months 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.

[–] [email protected] 80 points 2 months 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 10 points 2 months ago (4 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!

[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 months ago (4 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.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 2 months ago

Methinks they've given up on earth.

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[–] Francisco 78 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (2 children)

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.

[–] ReadyUser31 8 points 2 months ago

the reviewers spanked

likely not much of a punishment for these perverts

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 months ago

Sloshing? On a vomit comet? Naw...

[–] [email protected] 37 points 2 months ago (4 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 14 points 2 months ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 months ago
[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 months ago* (last edited 2 months ago) (3 children)

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

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[–] [email protected] 30 points 2 months ago (2 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'?

[–] [email protected] 11 points 2 months 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 3 points 2 months 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.

[–] lunarul 7 points 2 months ago

incredibly... useless.. compared to sperm generated in space

That's what I don't get. Transporting fresh sperm is not an issue that anyone cares about in space colonization. Sperm will get there in two ways: frozen or made on the spot.

[–] [email protected] 23 points 2 months ago (2 children)

We're never getting off this rock. Lol

[–] Tedesche 4 points 2 months ago (2 children)

I really hope not. Looking at how humanity has managed this world, I think it’s for the best if the laws of physics and biology are such that we’re never able to escape our solar system.

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 2 months ago (2 children)
[–] [email protected] 16 points 2 months ago (1 children)

I was dropped on my head before i was even born.

[–] myeyesburn 6 points 2 months ago

I was dropped on my head before i was even ~~born~~ conceived.

Ftfy ;-)

[–] yumpsuit 2 points 2 months ago

Why do you think baseball teams sell those mini batting helmets?

[–] j4k3 11 points 2 months 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.

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[–] eran_morad 10 points 2 months ago

gravity load

[–] ivanafterall 9 points 2 months ago

Imagine turning on a black light inside the Vomit/Semen Comet.

[–] Cocodapuf 9 points 2 months ago

Can we please stop pretending that future space colonists will live their whole lives in microgravity? Nobody seriously suggests that as an option, that's stupid. Countless studies have shown that for proper biological development, humans (and in fact nearly all organisms) need gravity. But for large space stations, spin gravity is actually not that freaking hard. If you can create a large enough station to support a sizable colony, it does not take much more engineering to make it spin.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 2 months ago

Oh no, maybe this will stop us finding another planet to ruin.

[–] br0da 5 points 2 months ago

Jokes on you, that’s my kink

[–] ChronosTriggerWarning 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Wait, how is this a thing? Were they -ahem- draining the men before the flights..?

[–] JigglySackles 6 points 2 months ago (2 children)

Wank in a cup pre flight and wank in a cup after.

[–] MrMcGasion 2 points 2 months ago

You'd also need to repeat the experiment as a control (ideally still doing as much of the same things to account for other variables). For best accuracy you'd need the same group returning another day, going through the same boarding process without takeoff, and tracking the exact time between wanks.

[–] ChronosTriggerWarning 2 points 2 months ago (2 children)

And the Worst Job in 2024 goes to:

Drumroll

Assistant to the Post Flight Fluffer!

[–] SquatDingloid 4 points 2 months ago (1 children)

Probably pays pretry good.

I would unironically enjoy my job if i made 150k+ a year just to jack off men for science

[–] ChronosTriggerWarning 3 points 2 months ago

Post Flight Fluffer:

"You guys get paid..?!"

[–] GoosLife 2 points 2 months ago

Assistant Post Flight Fluffer

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