2026-04-01 12:01:01
The dream of raising families on Mars may have just hit a major snag.
Scientists say while humans could one day live beyond Earth, actually having babies in space might be far trickier than expected.
A new study from the Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide suggests microgravity interferes with sperm’s ability to find an egg – a crucial step in reproduction.
Researchers simulated zero gravity conditions on Earth and found that sperm struggled with direction – even though they were still swimming just as fast and strong.
Senior author Nicole McPherson said: “This is the first time we have been able to show that gravity is an important factor in sperm’s ability to navigate through a channel like the reproductive tract.”
She added: “We observed a significant reduction in the number of sperm that were able to successfully find their way through the chamber maze in microgravity conditions compared to normal gravity.”
In fact, the team recorded a 30 per cent drop in successful fertilisation of mouse eggs after just four hours in simulated zero gravity.
Even more puzzling, sperm movement itself wasn’t affected.
Dr McPherson explained: “This indicates that their loss of direction was not due to a change in motility but other elements.”
Scientists even added progesterone – a hormone that helps guide sperm – but only very high levels made a difference.
Despite the setbacks, researchers say it’s not all doom and gloom for future space colonies.
Dr McPherson said: “In our most recent study, many healthy embryos were still able to form even when fertilised under these conditions.”
She added: “This gives us hope that reproducing in space may one day be possible.”
The findings, published in Communications Biology, highlight just how many unknowns remain when it comes to life beyond Earth.
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