The freeze-dried mouse sperm samples miraculously produced healthy mice after nine months in space. The sperm samples were sent to ISS in 2013 and returned to Earth in 2014.
CBC reported, Japanese scientists published miraculous results how a mouse sperm yielded healthy mice after being freeze dried in space. The mouse sperm samples were launched last 2013 and sent out to the International Space Station, after nine months in space, it returned to Earth.
Even though intense radiation in space caused slight damage to the DNA of the mouse sperm, it still brings forth healthy mice after Vitro fertilization. According to CTVNews, lead researchers from the University of Yamanashi, Sayaka Wakayama, said that the miraculous survival of the mouse sperm in space is a step on animal reproduction or even humans in space through preserving some sperms.
Wakayama and his fellow researchers envision to use assisted reproductive technology to send missions in space that will last for several years with the use of domestic animals and humans. To recall, there are previous studies conducted in space that involved other things and animals like mammals, fish, and amphibians.
Among those, mammals like the mouse are more difficult to handle and maintain in space because of testing. This is the reason why mouse sperm requires more extensive testing. Researchers see that preserving sperm in space could save humanity and all of the animal species in case that there would be a disastrous event that would happen on Earth.
The researchers further noted that because of the mouse sperm, they found out that the Moon is an ideal place for underground sperm storage. It's because the Moon has very low temperatures, and it can protect the sperm from space radiation through its bedrock layers. Most importantly, the mouse sperm and other sperms which will be preserved in the future will be completely isolated from any disasters on Earth.
