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BBC To Air First Televised Sperm Race

Posted by timothy on from the reality-teevee dept.

weekendwarrior1980 writes "BBC 3, a digital TV channel in the UK, is televising a race involving the sperm of presenters Dr Mike Leahy and Zeron Gibson. The sperm race will be part of the educational Lab Rats series. Gibson is a comedian and Leahy is a scientist. The network considers this a 'creative risk' but wants to reach out to an audience that avoids educational shows. The show will be broadcasted on April 15th at 2330 BST. Future shows will examine sleep deprivation and centrifugal force."

13 of 60 comments (clear)

  1. Wow.... by Afromelonhead · · Score: 3, Funny

    I wonder where they're racing to?

    --
    Procrastination sucks.
  2. One of those uplifting thoughts... by Ieshan · · Score: 4, Funny

    You know those times in life when you don't think you've won at anything, when everything is dim, when life seems like it can't get any worse...

    Just remember.

    You beat ALL those other sperm to the egg.

    You won at something.

    1. Re:One of those uplifting thoughts... by boisepunk · · Score: 4, Funny

      Not to troll, but this is not entirely true. Only half of yourself ever did something. Not so encouraging now, is it?

      --
      main(0)
    2. Re:One of those uplifting thoughts... by Compuser · · Score: 3, Funny

      Unless you are a result of artificial insemenation...
      Oh yeah: you insensitive clod!

  3. CENTRIPETAL FORCE by viperstyx · · Score: 5, Insightful

    i really hope they mean centripetal force...otherwise there wont be much educating goin on.

    1. Re:CENTRIPETAL FORCE by Captain+Nitpick · · Score: 3, Informative
      Centripetal force is a resultant force (since in circular motion an object undergoes constant acceleration). As used in most physics classes (etc.), it is introduced as a compensatory fictional force that makes a non-inertial frame of reference seem like an inertial one.

      Centripetal force is real. If there was no centripetal force, there would be no acceleration, and the object in question would not follow a circular path. In the classic "bucket on a rope" example, the centripetal force on the bucket is applied by the rope.

      Centrifugal "force" is not the counter-force to centripetal force, and indeed, can exist even in the absence of centripetal force.

      --
      But then again, I could be wrong.
  4. And the winner gets... by azuroff · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...18 years of child support payments!

  5. Gambling by jafuser · · Score: 3, Insightful

    You know, somewhere, someone is taking bets on this...

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  6. Re:what for? by norton_I · · Score: 3, Insightful

    The sperm race may be a gimmick, but it doesn't preclude educational content. There are lots of educational things you can put into a program centered around a sperm race. Also, it isn't necessarily stupid -- the characteristics that make sperm win races are almost certainly related to the probability of sucessful conception.

    If an educational program loses its audience, it ceases to educate.

  7. Re:Decadent western society and SF by francium+de+neobie · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I don't get it, why is it considered a "decay" when people watch sperms race to see what kind of lifestyle affects reproductivity? They've applied scientific method to a useful goal, I don't see anything wrong with it.

    I would actually consider public acceptance to this event as an advancement. It is good that people see sex as a norm of life now instead of an embargo in the past.

  8. Re:One of those uplifting thoughts x2 by MachDelta · · Score: 4, Funny

    Oh pshaw. You're looking at it all wrong:

    Half of you won a foot (er.. tail?) race against millions of other competetors.
    The other half of you repelled a simultaneous attack by those same millions of loosers (kinda like the burly brawl in the Matrix).

    You're equal parts Olympic 100m sprint Gold Medalist and World Champion Kickboxer.
    Whats not to be proud of?

  9. Re:BBC3 by Gossy · · Score: 4, Informative

    But I still want to be able to watch DVDs on my widescreem TV. Doh! That will make me a criminal. Because the TV will theoretically be "capable of receiving a television signal" (because I could plug a portable aerial into it) I'll be legally obliged to pay for a TV license, even though I'll never watch television.

    You'll be glad to hear then that you're wrong. :)

    Remove the aerial, detune the TV (just reset the channel data), and notify the TV Licensing guys. Tell them your TV is only being used for DVDs/games and you then you don't have to pay. This info hidden away on the TVL site somewhere, and it's what I did.

    They emailed me back to say they'd come round and check (they haven't), and that i'd be noted in the database so they don't send me letters demanding I pay up.

  10. Cheating? by bcattwoo · · Score: 3, Funny

    My wife helps me with my time trials at home, but I often get called for *ahem* "false starts".