Hazards of Space Would Make Sex Up There Tricky, Say NASA Researchers
It's not the space agency's official line, however Here's some futurey Valentine's Day news: Future space colonists would likely be unable to procreate because of the ionizing radiation that permeates the solar system, according to a paper by NASA researchers. Radiation would probably sterilize female eggs as well as reduce male sperm counts, making it difficult if not impossible to conceive in space. If people were able to conceive, the developing embryo's DNA could be damaged, causing serious birth defects. And even if space travelers give birth to a healthy baby, the newborn girls will likely be sterile, preventing the continuation of the colony. The researchers noted that current space shield technology is not advanced enough to protect space travelers from harmful radiation, especially from solar flares and galactic cosmic rays. Once Mars colonists were on the Red Planet, they could conceivably use Mars rock to build shelters, but after nine months...