This could have big implications for human reproduction in spaceflight.

“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.

  • TachyonTeleEnglish
    35·
    6 hours ago

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

      • TachyonTeleEnglish
        1·
        2 hours ago

        You can collect sperm samples in space, too.

        • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.deEnglish
          1·
          35 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.comEnglish
      1·
      5 hours ago

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

      • TachyonTeleEnglish
        1·
        2 hours 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.