When it comes to biology and the human body, there are many things that are fascinating and surprising. Sperm is one of those things.
Most people know that sperm is responsible for fertilizing the female egg which leads to pregnancy, but there are many other interesting facts that you may not know about sperm.
1. Sperm Can Survive for Several Days
Many people think that once sperm is released from the male body, it dies pretty quickly. However, that’s not the case. Sperm can survive inside the female reproductive system for up to five days.
This means that if a woman has sex several days before ovulation, she can still get pregnant.
2. A Small Percentage of Sperm Are Abnormal
Despite the fact that sperm are essential for fertilizing the female egg, not all sperm are created equal. In fact, only about 5% to 15% of all sperm are normal. The other 85% to 95% are abnormal in some way.
The abnormalities can range from issues with size and shape to issues with mobility.
3. Sperm Swim in a Straight Line
When most people picture sperm swimming through the female reproductive system, they probably picture them swimming in circles or in a somewhat random pattern. However, sperm actually swim in a straight line.
They use their tails to propel themselves forward in a straight line towards the egg.
4. Sperm Are Produced Continuously
Most people know that men produce sperm, but they may not realize just how much sperm is produced. The male body is constantly producing sperm. In fact, the average man produces around 150 million sperm every day.
This means that even if a man ejaculates regularly, he can still produce enough sperm to potentially father a child.
5. Sperm Can Be Affected by Heat
Sperm are very sensitive to heat. If the temperature of the male testicles gets too high, it can actually damage the sperm. That’s why the testicles are located outside of the body, where they can stay cooler.
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It’s also why men who wear tight-fitting underwear or spend a lot of time in hot tubs or saunas may have a harder time producing healthy sperm.
6. The Average Ejaculation Contains Less Than a Teaspoon of Semen
Most people probably think that an ejaculation contains a lot of semen. However, that’s not really the case. The average ejaculation contains less than a teaspoon of semen.
This may seem surprising, considering how much importance is placed on sperm and semen in the process of reproduction.
7. Sperm Have a Sense of Smell
Sperm may not have actual noses, but they do have a sense of smell. Sperm are able to detect certain chemicals in the female reproductive system that help guide them towards the egg.
In fact, some scientists believe that sperm use their sense of smell to navigate towards the egg with precision.
8. Not All Ejaculations Contain Sperm
While ejaculations are often referred to as “releasing sperm,” not all ejaculations actually contain sperm. In some cases, a man may have an ejaculation but not release any sperm.
This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as after a vasectomy or if the man has a low sperm count.
9. Sperm Can Move Faster Than You Think
Sperm may be tiny, but they can actually move pretty fast. The average speed of a sperm cell is around 28 miles per hour. While that may not seem like much, it’s actually pretty impressive when you consider their size.
For comparison, a human sperm cell is about 50 times smaller than a single grain of salt.
10. Sperm Cells Are Highly Competitive
When multiple sperm cells are released during ejaculation, they enter into a highly competitive environment. Only one sperm cell will be able to fertilize the egg, so the rest will die off.
Because of this, sperm cells are highly competitive with one another. They will actually try to attack and kill other sperm cells in an effort to reach the egg first.
