Mars colonisation possible through sperm bank in space, study suggests

[nitpicker]

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/jun/23/all-female-mars-colony-possible-using-frozen-sperm-says-study

Mars colonisation possible through sperm bank in space, study suggests

Jedidajah Otte

Sun 23 Jun 2019 23.45 BST Last modified on Mon 24 Jun 2019 02.16 BST

All-female astronaut crews could reproduce in space without the help of accompanying men, new research suggests.

The study found that frozen samples of sperm exposed to microgravity retained similar characteristics to sperm samples kept on the ground, raising hopes that a sperm bank could one day be set up in space to help populate new worlds.

This could prove interesting for female astronauts, amid reports that future missions to Mars may involve women-only space crews.

Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut, said at a conference in 2017 that there had been an unreleased Nasa report exploring sexual desires of space crew members during potential missions to Mars. Sharman said the report had recommended space crews of the same gender – “all men or all women” – because they have better team cohesion.

Findings from the small preliminary study, involving sperm from 10 healthy donors, suggest that “the possibility of creating a human sperm bank outside of Earth” exists, according to the researchers.

The study was presented on Sunday at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology annual meeting in Vienna, Austria.

Montserrat Boada, from Dexeus Women’s Health in Barcelona, who presented the research along with her colleagues, said: “Some studies suggest a significant decrease in the motility of a human, fresh sperm sample. But nothing has been reported on the possible effects of gravitational differences on frozen human gametes, in which state they could be transported from Earth to space.”

One group of sperm samples used in the study had been exposed to microgravity with the help of a small aerobatic aircraft. The samples then underwent fertility screenings and were analysed for concentration, motility and DNA fragmentation.

No significant differences were detected between samples that had been given a ride and those that had stayed on the ground.
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[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

1. I donated sperm to be frozen once.

It took forever to fill up those ice trays.

[Boomer]

2. Just what we need

We're killing planet Earth through overpopulation, so let's go have even more babies on Mars and in space.

This obsession with spreading ourselves off the planet is almost perverse, although space won't be as forgiving of our emotional impulses. Still, we should get our act together on Earth before spreading our dysfunction any farther.

[FiveGoodMen]

6. Couldn't agree more!

Most people seem to harbor the unspoken notion that WE will be spirited away to another planet if a comet is headed for this one.

Never.

Simply never.

But yes, we can make copies of ourselves to feel vicariously immortal.

Big win there

[htuttle]

3. This is a trick to lure Earth women to Mars!!

?w=640

[Zoonart]

4. Sci-fy novel, The Seveneves

by Neal Stephenson, posits just such a scenario. It's a great read.

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

5. Talk about being born for your fate....

.. no mystery...

.. no personal choice...

just DNA sitting on a shelf that someone decides should become self-aware....

... but never question the WHY did this happen.

Brave New Alien Worlds.