Scientists have carried out an unusual test to determine whether a child could be conceived in space.<\/p>\n
The researchers used a tiny plastic “obstacle course” to test how space conditions affect the navigation capabilities of individual sperm cells.<\/p>\n
Their tests showed that some sperm cells did make it through, suggesting children may one day be conceived in space. However, the scientists stated that embryo development could still pose a problem.<\/p>\n
Studying sperm in space-like conditions<\/p>\n
Next week, NASA’s Artemis II mission aims to send humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972. Under NASA chief Jared Isaacman’s new plan, the Artemis program will have a renewed focus on building settlements on the Moon, with a view to eventually colonizing Mars.<\/p>\n
All of this poses the question: Will humans be able to reproduce in space? While the new research was focused on microgravity conditions, hypothetical Mars inhabitants will experience roughly 38 percent of Earth’s gravity.<\/p>\n
“As we progress toward becoming a spacefaring or multi-planetary species, understanding how microgravity affects the earliest stages of reproduction is critical,” associate professor John Culton, Director of the Andy Thomas Centre for Space Resources, explained in a press statement<\/a>.<\/p>\n For their study, the researchers tested both human and mouse sperm. To do so, they used a 3D clinostat machine, developed by Dr. Giles Kirby at Firefly Biotech. The machine was designed to resemble the female reproductive tract, and it serves as a “miniature obstacle course”, according to the researchers. The team published their findings in the journal Communications Biology<\/a>.<\/p>\n