Pig Sperm in Space

Spitfire15 writes "China is planning to study the effects of space on sperm, by sending the semen from pedigree pigs into orbit. Some 40 grams of pig sperm will be taken on board the Shenzhou VI spacecraft for its October launch. Some of the sperm will be kept outside the spacecraft's biological capsule and some inside, according to China's Xinhua news agency. Surviving sperm will be returned to Earth and used to understand better the processes involved in pig reproduction."

Comments

Re:... Uh...

[SDMX]

More than likely to study the ability of mammals to reproduce in a zero-gravity environment. As if the concept of having sex in 0G wasn't hard enough, think about those poor sperm! Since it's thought that they use gravity to tell which way to swim in the vaginal canal, this might seriously impede the ability to impregnate or reproduce in space.

You know, should we get there without artificial gravity.

Re:and I thought WE were bored

[MindStalker]

Its not about PIGS per say, but more about sperm in general tolerances for space. There are a lot of stuff to learn and why not. Assuming this is a small research addon to an existing mission.

Space radiation effects on DNA

[spineboy]

Probably since the pig sperm provides a concentrated source of mamalian DNA, it will provide a reasonable representation of the effects of space radiation on DNA. Note that DNA in humans is much more than just DNA - it has many regulatory proteins, folding proteins, etc all attached and/or associated with it. It also has areas that are methylated (inactivating) it.

Journalists often protray scientific experiments as if the scientists are sitting around in rooms with low O2 concentrations, smoking crack, concocting these bizarre experiments, when in fact if the journalists took time to understand why they are doing this, everyone might be educated. But hey! sensationalism sells.