Sperm question...

TheMagicPirate · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:25

Weird question I know.

Does sperm have a mind of its own?

For example when 'hunting' for the egg does it actively seek it out or just simply swim 'forward' in the hope that it will find something? Is it self aware?

I was thinking about this recently and find the idea that I could be producing self aware sperm quite weird.

_PD_ · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:26

Do an experiment.

EDIT:

<- PD
\/ - DP

D.P. · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:27

The sperm are unicellular. What do you expect them to do? Stay up at night wondering if there is a God?

Gatsby · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:27

rofl, no they're not self aware

Combat squirrel · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:27

Have you been smoking some MagicPirate ? lol, its eer chemistry, it swims towards a chemical marker (the egg)

hamesy · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:27

I think the natural reaction is for them to go 'hunting' for the egg, while swimming forward.

andyp · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:27

I don't think they're self-aware.

They can only really go in one direction - and they're given quite a healthy kick-start.

Killerkebab · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:28

D.P. said:
The sperm are unicellular. What do you expect them to do? Stay up at night wondering if there is a God?

LOL

Nix · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:28

There's not really anywhere else it can go is there? They're not all going to suddenly turn around and say "You know what, screw this." and abandon ship.

_PD_ · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:28

They must have some instinct, or you'd get half coming back again and none of them would really get anywhere.

Nix · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:29

D.P. said:
The sperm are unicellular. What do you expect them to do? Stay up at night wondering if there is a God?

Brings a whole new meaning to "To be or not to be" doesn't it?

_PD_ said:
They must have some instinct, or you'd get half coming back again and none of them would really get anywhere.

Backfire!

do_ron_ron · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:29

TheMagicPirate said:
Weird question I know.

Does sperm have a mind of its own?

For example when 'hunting' for the egg does it actively seek it out or just simply swim 'forward' in the hope that it will find something? Is it self aware?

I was thinking about this recently and find the idea that I could be producing self aware sperm quite weird.

Apparently, sperm have different functions - only a fraction are meant to have a chance to fertilise the egg, others are used as blockers.

Whitestar · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:29

Only the alpha one is self aware lol

andyp · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:30

do_ron_ron said:
others are used as blockers.

Like traffic wardens?

~J~ · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:30

Surely a pirate would know about sea men.

Dj_Jestar · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:30

_PD_ said:
They must have some instinct, or you'd get half coming back again and none of them would really get anywhere.

You get more than half going the wrong way.. infact something ridiculous like only 2% of your spooge will get anywhere near the egg.

Hobgoblin · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:31

_PD_ said:
They must have some instinct, or you'd get half coming back again and none of them would really get anywhere.

as weird as it sounds i believe its a smell that they are attracted to. apparently the nearest scientists can get to replicating it is lavender. i am getting this from QI however

malfunkshun · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:31

Nix said:
There's not really anywhere else it can go is there? They're not all going to suddenly turn around and say "You know what, screw this." and abandon ship.

Hmm, I'm not so sure. I remember one or two ladies where the vast majority of sperm ended up back on my sheets :mad:

. Though that may say more about said ladies than the sperm themselves :eek:

andyp · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:32

Dj_Jestar said:
infact something ridiculous like only 2% of your spooge will get anywhere near the egg.

That's still quite a lot given how many millions get fired at it.

Nix · 9 Jan 2008 at 12:33

andyp said:
That's still quite a lot given how many millions get fired at it.

Most die along the way though.

malfunkshun said:
Hmm, I'm not so sure. I remember one or two ladies where the vast majority of sperm ended up back on my sheets . Though that may say more about said ladies than the sperm themselves

Swashbuckets? :eek: