Between the end of 1970 and 2020, The amount of sperm per millimeter has been reduced more than halfin the male population. This has led to numerous studies that not only analyze the causes, but also the consequences. And one of them is infertility or at least the difficulty in conceiving.
With this in mind, California science students have created the National Institute for Sperm Exploration and one of its first measures was to create a “Sports” event that evaluates the mobility of the sperm. A manual race, let’s.
The participants of this first competition were Tristan Milker, 20, a student at the University of Southern California, and Asher Proger, 19, from the University of California in Los Angeles. The mechanism is simple and those responsible in The website.
“We have built the first runway for sperm. Two competitors. Two samples. A microscopic goal. For this we have Designed a microscopic track that mimics the reproductive system: chemical signals, fluid dynamics and synchronized outputs. There are high resolution cameras that record each microscopic movement. Everything is broadcast live, with statistics, classifications and instant repetitions. The winner? The sperm that crosses the goal first. ”
Despite the scientific objective and the technological challenges of creating a clue like this, the reality is that lOr they have become a show and plan to go beyond press wheels, weighing, races broadcast live with comments played by play. And, of course, the smallest circuit in the world.
“The sperm races are not just about competing with sperm (although, let’s be sincere, it is hilarious) -explains the website -. It is about converting health into a competition. It’s about making male fertility something that people really want to speak, follow and improve. ”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azzdncvkg6o
For those who show interest in the final result, Milker was declared a winner after a competition for the best of three and took home An cash award of about 10,000 euros. But, surprisingly, the show has a future: it had a budget of 1.4 million dollars and tickets ($ 20 for students, 40 for the general public and a thousand VIP locations), practically sold out.
Semen samples were collected shortly before the start of the race to preserve their health. First sE stored in incubation chambers at body temperature and then placed in a centrifuge, pushing the cells to the bottomto be able to load them on a two -lane track in a microfluidal channel. A soft electric current was used through the track to stimulate sperm to maintain their course, since they swim naturally against the current. The “track” measured 20 centimeters long and was inspired by the female reproductive system.
“We are trying to stop the sperm to cease to be a taboo subject and become a biomarker -explain the creators of this competition -if we get it and become something we can improve, we will change the paradigm.The best advice we can give is that, uncomfortable that it is to have these difficult conversations on issues such as sperm and fertilitytake a test. The sooner a problem is identified, if there is, the easier and faster it will be to solve it. ”