BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....

Subject: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: Shanghaiceltic
Date: 10 Aug 05 - 07:57 PM

Eat yer heart out Shatner..never a mention of space sperm in Startreck. I just wonder what a mutated pig will look like. Also bring a new meaning to flying pigs.

Search for better pork in space
By Peter Goff in Beijing
(Filed: 11/08/2005)

China's next manned space flight will carry capsules of pedigree pig sperm in an experiment that scientists hope will ultimately produce better quality pork.

The Shenzhou VI spacecraft will carry half an ounce of the sperm on its second mission, due in early October, to study whether exposure to outer space alters its genetic make-up.

Wang Jinyong, of the Chongqing Academy of Animal Husbandry, said: "Exposed to micro-gravity, high levels of radiation and magnetic fields, the DNA of the sperm will genetically mutate."

Once back on Earth, the sperm will be used to fertilise eggs and Mr Wang will observe the extent of the mutation.

"There may be good and bad changes in the DNA," he said. "Our job is to keep the good changes and omit the bad so that we can improve the quality of the pig."

It was a different scientific process from genetic modification because it changed only the sequence of the DNA instead of introducing new genes.

It is the first time that Chinese scientists have experimented in space with sperm but they have been sending plant seeds into orbit for years. They say they can produce higher-yielding and more nutritional fruit, vegetables and flowers after the seeds have gone into orbit. Many of these seeds are now mass-produced for consumers across China.

Subject: RE: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: gnu
Date: 10 Aug 05 - 08:40 PM

But, can they find a way to improve the bottled spare rib sauce at the grocery stores?

Subject: RE: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: Amos
Date: 10 Aug 05 - 11:28 PM

My sperm have always told me they wanted to go in to space.

But not OUTER space!!

A

Subject: RE: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: GUEST,shanghaiceltic
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 12:39 AM

Re reading the article makes me puzzle. What about the astronauts who have already been up in space and done space walks? Do they wear lead boxes (male) or lead corsets (female) to protect their reproductive bits from irradiation? Or are they de-spermed and de-egged when they get back to earth?

Any NASA catters out theer with answers?

Subject: RE: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: GUEST,Merry Bee
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 01:23 AM

Do you think they will take 'loco'with them

Merry

Subject: RE: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: Cluin
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 08:54 PM

Kirk used to try and de-sperm himself, while trekking around the stars. Got laid in every episode. Got himself some green pussy once.

Subject: RE: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: Amos
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 09:57 PM

That doesn't de-sperm anyone, as any teenage boy knows. But the creme de menthe recipe is intriguing.

A

Subject: RE: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: GUEST,Shanghaiceltic
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 11:01 PM

We used to call a drink for a girl a 'sticky green'. Goes back to the time in the RN when in Singapore and Hong Kong the delightfull lasses that separated men from their money at some not very salubrious bars would in the 70's drink Creme De Menthe, or something that looked like it (they got commission on the drinks we bought) Hence it was known by the sailors (RN) as a 'Sticky Green'. They were expensive too, surprise surprise.

Sorry about the thread drift.

Subject: RE: BS: Pigs (well sperm actually) in space....
From: Cluin
Date: 11 Aug 05 - 11:10 PM

Thread drift. That's a good one, Shang.   ;)