The environment in outer space may not affect reproduction

The team examined the reproductive health of 12 male 35-year-old male rats living on the International Space Station (ISS) in specially designed cages.

Male mice that have lived for more than a month in space can still perform reproductive functions when returning to Earth.

Japanese scientists have reached this conclusion in their recently published research on the reproductive function of mammals in outer space.

Male mouse "astronauts" can produce healthy offspring, after being placed on the ISS.

The team, led by Professor Masahito Ikawa of Osaka University, conducted reproductive health checks of 12 male 35-year-old male rats living on the International Space Station (ISS) in specially designed cages. distinct.

Some were tested in a zero-gravity environment, while others were placed in cages provided artificial gravity. Upon returning to Earth, the researchers took the sperm of these male mice to fertilize with the eggs of female mice that had never been brought to space. Results showed that male "astronauts" can produce healthy offspring.

Research published in Scientific Reports concludes that staying out of space for a short time does not affect male fertility, sperm function and the chances of fetal life.

However, this study is only a first foray and does not draw conclusions as to whether or not human reproductive organs, or female rats, will be affected in outer space.

Previously published research results showed that traveling to space could affect sperm quality, after experiments that discovered frozen sperm of mice that lived 9 months in space were contaminated with radiation. In addition, the sperm count of mice that spent 13 days in orbit also decreased significantly.

Scientists also believe that the environment in outer space can cause many negative effects on health, such as reducing the number of muscles and bones, as well as causing cell mutations due to radiation exposure.

• Giving birth to outer space: Difficult but necessary because of the future of humanity
• Scary warning when doing "sex" in outer space