Chinese scientists are reportedly planning to send monkeys to its new Tiangong space station for experiments that will involve the animals mating and potentially reproducing, the South China Morning Post reports.
It's a fascinating and potentially controversial experiment that could have major implications for our efforts to colonize space: can mammals, let alone humans, successfully reproduce beyond the Earth?
According to the report, the experiment would take place in the station's largest capsule, called Wentian, inside two biological test cabinets that can be expanded.
After examining the behavior of smaller creatures, "some studies involving mice and macaques will be carried out to see how they grow or even reproduce in space," Zhang Lu, a researcher at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, said during a speech posted to social media earlier this week, as quoted by the SCMP.
"These experiments will help improve our understanding of an organism’s adaptation to microgravity and other space environments," he added.
Some simpler organisms, including nematodes and Japanese rice fish, have been observed reproducing in space.
But more complex life forms have struggled. In 2014, a Russian experiment to see whether geckos could produce offspring in space failed when all the critters died.
And the failure rate for mammals, so far, has been total. Soviet Union scientists got mice to mate during a space flight in 1979, but none of them gave birth after being returned to Earth.
In other words, getting monkeys to reproduce on board a space station will be anything but easy. For one, just dealing with living creatures in space can pose immense challenges. The astronauts will "need to feed them and deal with the waste," Kehkooi Kee, a professor with the school of medicine at Tsinghua University, told the SCMP.
Then there's the fact that astronauts will have to keep the macaques happy and comfortable, something that experts say will be challenging since long term confinement in the spartan environments of space habitats could cause immense stress for the simians.
And even if astronauts successfully set the mood for the monkeys, the physics of sex in space are predicted to be challenging.
"Firstly, just staying in close contact with each other under zero gravity is hard," Adam Watkins, an associate professor of reproductive physiology at University of Nottingham, wrote in a 2020 open letter highlighted by the SCMP. "Secondly, as astronauts experience lower blood pressure while in space, maintaining erections and arousal are more problematic than here on Earth."
With its new space station in nearly full operation, China isn't shying away from asking some big questions — but whether these experiments will play out as expected is anything but certain.
READ MORE: Chinese scientists plan monkey reproduction experiment in space station [South China Morning Post]
More on sex in space: Scientists Say We Really Have to Talk About Boning in Space
The post China Plans to Send Monkeys to Space Station to Have Sex With Each Other appeared first on Futurism.
Follow this link:
China Plans to Send Monkeys to Space Station to Have Sex With Each Other
- Mind uploading - 01 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- Mind uploading - 02 - November 8th, 2009 [November 8th, 2009]
- A new way to battle Mexican drug cartels - KLTV - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Mobile Health Screening Units Visit Lowe's Workers - International Supermarket News - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- The quintessential sewing machine - Business Mirror - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- The Future of Windows - Technologizer (blog) - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- SEO Press Release Distribution Site Online PR News Celebrates 10000 Active Users - Online PR News (press release) - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Utilizing Online Mailing Services – Make the Most of Direct Marketing - RisMedia.com (press release) - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Carr's first look at 'Extreme' home - KLTV - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Should you advertise on iPhones? - Smart Company (blog) - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Review: Mega Man 10 - Destructoid - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Had I World Enough, and Time - Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies - March 8th, 2010 [March 8th, 2010]
- Unicast Continues Innovative Technology Enhancements With Latest Release of ... - CNNMoney.com (press release) - March 16th, 2010 [March 16th, 2010]
- Facebook scouts for 'passionate' India head - Economic Times - March 16th, 2010 [March 16th, 2010]
- SXSW: YouTube Launches Partner Program for Indie Bands - Wired News - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- Wider Still and Wider! - Bangkok Post - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- P2P Versus The World - Rampage - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- Yakuza 3 - The MMOMFG Review - MMOMFG (blog) - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- Behind the musings: The annotated high schools column - Chicago Tribune (blog) - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- Jihad Jane, YouTube, and Me - David Horowitz's NewsReal Blog (blog) - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- Justin Bieber Releases 'U Smile,' Announces Summer Tour Dates - MTV.com - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- FCC announces National Broadband Plan - VentureBeat - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- Image hosting on the cheap: a look at three free services - Ars Technica - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- Content Management: Secrets of the Trade - Formtek Blog (blog) - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- FCC's National Broadband Plan: There is a dark side - ZDNet - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- 5 Reasons Old Media Should Buy Facebook - AllFacebook (blog) - March 17th, 2010 [March 17th, 2010]
- "Steal It" and Other Internal YouTube Emails from Viacom's Copyright Suit - Fast Company - March 19th, 2010 [March 19th, 2010]
- Now cafes in monument premises for tourists during CWG - Sify - March 19th, 2010 [March 19th, 2010]
- Google-Viacom court papers leave a lot to the imagination - FierceOnlineVideo - March 19th, 2010 [March 19th, 2010]
- FCC's broadband plan: A possible dream - Washington Post (blog) - March 19th, 2010 [March 19th, 2010]
- The Importance of Using Social Networking for Business; Part I – Facebook - IPWatchdog.com - March 19th, 2010 [March 19th, 2010]
- Recording YouTube Videos - Acoustic Guitar - March 19th, 2010 [March 19th, 2010]
- Who's using location-based social networking? - KC Free Press - March 20th, 2010 [March 20th, 2010]
- iPhone will continue to beckon BlackBerry owners - CNET - March 20th, 2010 [March 20th, 2010]
- Rain leaves its mark on Azalea Trail events - KLTV - March 21st, 2010 [March 21st, 2010]
- Viacom v. YouTube/Google: A Piracy Case in Their Own Words - DailyFinance - March 21st, 2010 [March 21st, 2010]
- Getting a look at next high-tech | Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/22/2010 - Philadelphia Inquirer - March 22nd, 2010 [March 22nd, 2010]
- Sprint chews on Apple while lauding 4G Overdrive hotspot - The Tech Herald - March 22nd, 2010 [March 22nd, 2010]
- 'Repo Men' contest -- the nationwide chase is almost over - Los Angeles Times (blog) - March 22nd, 2010 [March 22nd, 2010]
- Viacom vs. YouTube/Google: A Piracy Case in Their Own Words - DailyFinance - March 22nd, 2010 [March 22nd, 2010]
- These iPhone apps will help make March Madness a little more sane - Appolicious - March 22nd, 2010 [March 22nd, 2010]
- Eye-Fi Pro X2 cards have arrived, and you probably want one - tuaw.com (blog) - March 23rd, 2010 [March 23rd, 2010]
- Pharmacist shows who wins, loses with health care bill - KLTV - March 23rd, 2010 [March 23rd, 2010]
- High-Tech Texts! - The Campus Slate - March 24th, 2010 [March 24th, 2010]
- CTIA WIRELESS 2010: Samsung's New Galaxy Brings 4" AMOLED Screen, Social Hub ... - Marketnews.ca - March 24th, 2010 [March 24th, 2010]
- Google must follow Chinese rules or leave - China Daily - March 24th, 2010 [March 24th, 2010]
- Jay-Z Short Documentary 'NY-Z' Premieres Online - MTV.com - March 24th, 2010 [March 24th, 2010]
- DAs clash over Mineola sex ring appeal - KLTV - March 25th, 2010 [March 25th, 2010]
- iSilo for iPhone - BusinessWeek - March 26th, 2010 [March 26th, 2010]
- Questions Abound as "New START" Agreement is Completed - Global Security Newswire - March 26th, 2010 [March 26th, 2010]
- What will Apple do next in mobile services? - Mobile Entertainment - March 26th, 2010 [March 26th, 2010]
- How much is too much to pay for health care? - Anchorage Daily News - March 27th, 2010 [March 27th, 2010]
- The Future of Smartphones: 4G and Beyond - Entrepreneur - March 27th, 2010 [March 27th, 2010]
- Uploading and uplifting: sharing big data files - Earthtimes (press release) - March 28th, 2010 [March 28th, 2010]
- Verizon Blasts 'Outdated' FCC Broadband Plan - NewsFactor Network - March 28th, 2010 [March 28th, 2010]
- Web Host Layered Tech Offers Mezeo-Powered Cloud Storage - Web Host Industry Review - March 29th, 2010 [March 29th, 2010]
- Dropbox: Now one more reason to want a Nexus One - ZDNet (blog) - March 30th, 2010 [March 30th, 2010]
- Exaflood: Politicians Prop Up Dinosaurs, Ignore Cutting Edge Technology - NewsBlaze (press release) - March 30th, 2010 [March 30th, 2010]
- Instructions - Washington Post - March 30th, 2010 [March 30th, 2010]
- Uploading for Life Extension Will Be Valid - Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies - March 31st, 2010 [March 31st, 2010]
- 'Glee's' MySpace Auditions: What Not To Sing - Wall Street Journal (blog) - March 31st, 2010 [March 31st, 2010]
- Memeo iPad Reader: Like the GDrive on your iPad (only different) - ZDNet (blog) - April 1st, 2010 [April 1st, 2010]
- Why are pipe bomb 'how to' videos legal? Answer is alarming - KLTV - April 1st, 2010 [April 1st, 2010]
- Trip to Haiti inspiration for East Texas teen - KLTV - April 1st, 2010 [April 1st, 2010]
- Jason Kilar Leads Hulu To Profitability, But Will He Stay On At Hulu? - TVbytheNumbers - April 2nd, 2010 [April 2nd, 2010]
- Layers for IPad Adds Online Gallery, Pro Options - PC World - April 2nd, 2010 [April 2nd, 2010]
- Shane Dawson, YouTube's Comic for the Under-30 Set - New York Times - April 2nd, 2010 [April 2nd, 2010]
- Hands-On With the Apple iPad — and Your Questions - Wired News - April 4th, 2010 [April 4th, 2010]
- FedEx Simplifies International Shipping with FedEx Electronic Trade Documents - MarketWatch (press release) - April 6th, 2010 [April 6th, 2010]
- Cacoo Lets Multiple Users Create Designs Collaboratively And In Real-time - TechCrunch (blog) - April 7th, 2010 [April 7th, 2010]
- Comcast: Your New Overlord - ITworld.com - April 7th, 2010 [April 7th, 2010]
- Bloggers Photograph Food, We Get Hungry - Switched (blog) - April 7th, 2010 [April 7th, 2010]
- Apple suggests only the iPhone can fingerprint songs - Geek.com - April 7th, 2010 [April 7th, 2010]
- Senior with mental challenges killed along highway - KLTV - April 7th, 2010 [April 7th, 2010]
- Book a Cruise and "Flip" Over a Free Camcorder - CruiseCritic.co.uk - April 8th, 2010 [April 8th, 2010]
- Creation Myths: what the argument that the iPad's not for creating content ... - Huffington Post (blog) - April 8th, 2010 [April 8th, 2010]
- Want market share? Make a brain claim - Marketing Web - April 8th, 2010 [April 8th, 2010]
- 10 Ways World of Warcraft - OUPblog (blog) - April 8th, 2010 [April 8th, 2010]
- Check-in to Foursquare: Latest social media service lands in SW Florida - Naples Daily News - April 8th, 2010 [April 8th, 2010]
- Apple iPhone OS 4 Announcement Makes Users Feel "Finally!" - HULIQ - April 8th, 2010 [April 8th, 2010]