Back in the late 80s, there was a rumor floatÂing around that Earth Girls Are Easy.
40 some years of sciÂenÂtifÂic and social advanceÂment have shiftÂed the conÂverÂsaÂtionÂal focus.
We’re just now beginÂning to underÂstand that Space Sex is SeriÂous BusiÂness.
ParÂticÂuÂlarÂly if SpaceX CEO Elon Musk achieves his goal of estabÂlishÂing a perÂmaÂnent human presÂence on Mars.
SureÂly at some point in their long travÂels to and resÂiÂdence on Mars, those pioÂneers would get down to busiÂness in much the same way that rats, fruit flies, parÂaÂsitic wasps, and JapanÂese rice fish have while under obserÂvaÂtion on priÂor space expeÂdiÂtions.
MeanÂwhile, we’re seriÂousÂly lackÂing in human data.
A pair of human astroÂnauts, Jan Davis and Mark Lee, made hisÂtoÂry in 1992 as the first marÂried couÂple to enter space togethÂer, but NASA insistÂed their relaÂtions remained strictÂly proÂfesÂsionÂal for the duraÂtion, and that a shutÂtle’s crew comÂpartÂment is too small for the sort of antics a nasty-mindÂed pubÂlic kept askÂing about.
In an interÂview with Mens Health, Colonel Mike MulÂlane, a vetÂerÂan of three space misÂsions, conÂfirmed that a spaceÂcraft’s layÂout doesÂn’t favor romance:
The only priÂvaÂcy would have been in the air lock, but everyÂbody would know what you were doing. You’re not out there doing a spaceÂwalk. There’s no reaÂson to be in there.
ShortÂly after Davis and Lee returned to earth, NASA forÂmalÂized an unspoÂken rule proÂhibitÂing husÂbands and wives from venÂturÂing into space togethÂer. It did litÂtle to squelch pubÂlic interÂest in space sex.
One wonÂders if NASA’s rule has been rewritÂten in accorÂdance with the times. Air lock aside, might same sex couÂples remain free to swing what hetÂero-norÂmaÂtive marÂrieds (arguably) canÂnot?
This is but one of hunÂdreds of space sex quesÂtions begÂging furÂther conÂsidÂerÂaÂtion.
Some of the most seriÂous are raised in Tom McCarten’s witÂty colÂlage aniÂmaÂtion for FiveThirÂtyEight, above.
NameÂly how damÂagÂing will cosÂmic radiÂaÂtion and microÂgravÂiÂty prove to human reproÂducÂtion? As more humans toy with the posÂsiÂbilÂiÂty of leavÂing Earth, this quesÂtion feels less and less hypoÂthetÂiÂcal.
MagÂgie Koerth-BakÂer, who researched and narÂrates the aniÂmatÂed short, notes that Musk porÂtrayed the risks of radiÂaÂtion as minor durÂing a preÂsenÂtaÂtion at the 67th InterÂnaÂtionÂal AstroÂnauÂtiÂcal ConÂgress in GuadalaÂjara, MexÂiÂco, and breathed not a peep as to the effects of microÂgravÂiÂty.
Yet sciÂenÂtifÂic studÂies of non-human space travÂelÂers docÂuÂment a host of reproÂducÂtive issues includÂing lowÂered libido, atypÂiÂcal horÂmone levÂels, ovuÂlaÂtoÂry dysÂfuncÂtion, misÂcarÂriages, and fetal mutaÂtions.
On its webÂpage, NASA proÂvides some inforÂmaÂtion about the ReproÂducÂtion, DevelÂopÂment, and Sex DifÂferÂences LabÂoÂraÂtoÂry of its Space BioÂsciences Research Branch, but remains mum on topÂics of pressÂing conÂcern to, say, stuÂdents in a typÂiÂcal midÂdle school sex ed class.
Like achievÂing and mainÂtainÂing erecÂtions in microÂgravÂiÂty.
In PhysÂiÂolÂoÂgy News MagÂaÂzine, Dr. Adam Watkins, assoÂciate proÂfesÂsor of ReproÂducÂtive and DevelÂopÂmenÂtal PhysÂiÂolÂoÂgy at the UniÂverÂsiÂty of NotÂtingÂham, sugÂgests that interÂnal and exterÂnal atmosÂpherÂic changes would make such things, parÂdon the pun, hard:
FirstÂly, just stayÂing in close conÂtact with each othÂer under zero gravÂiÂty is hard. SecÂondÂly, as astroÂnauts expeÂriÂence lowÂer blood presÂsure while in space, mainÂtainÂing erecÂtions and arousal are more probÂlemÂatÂic than here on Earth.
The excepÂtionÂalÂly forthÂright Col MulÂlane has some conÂtraÂdicÂtoÂry first hand expeÂriÂence that should come as a relief to all humankind:
A couÂple of times, I would wake up from sleep periÂods and I had a bonÂer that I could have drilled through krypÂtonite.
RelatÂed ConÂtent
Free Online AstronÂoÂmy CoursÂes
Watch FamÂiÂly PlanÂning, Walt Disney’s 1967 Sex Ed ProÂducÂtion, StarÂring DonÂald Duck
The StoÂry Of MenÂstruÂaÂtion: Watch Walt Disney’s Sex Ed Film from 1946
- Ayun HalÂlÂiÂday is the Chief PriÂmaÂtolÂoÂgist of the East VilÂlage Inky zine and author, most recentÂly, of CreÂative, Not Famous: The Small PotaÂto ManÂiÂfesto. FolÂlow her @AyunHalliday.