"Sex In Space" on TV
This Saturday (12/20), the History Channel will air an episode of The Universe on the subject of "Sex in Space." What are the challenges and, er, opportunities? From History.com:
As man moves to colonize the cosmos, the realities of sexual relationships and reproduction need to be addressed. Probe the physiological, psychological and cultural challenges of sex in space. From the sex act through birth, look at how the extreme environments of space exploration might effect copulation, conception and developing human tissues, as well as how issues around sex might impact the emotional lives of astronauts. Get to the bottom of the rumors to find out if space sex has already happened, and look at how the burgeoning space tourism business may soon lead to a boom in space sex."Sex In Space" (History.com), "History Channel to air special on 'sex in space'" (New Scientist)
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I'm personally at kind of a loss as to the practical application of this.
Are we currently that concerned with space exploration? I just don't see human beings occupy space any time soon, given the money, resources, popular public support, etc involved in progressing space exploration.
Obviously, we can't know what alternative fuel sources will be discovered, but given that fossil fuels are on the verge of running out, I get the impression that our love affair with space exploration is, at least in real life, coming to an end.
Maybe I'm just being a party-pooper.
I've always thought the idea of zero-g copulation was really hawt. I've read that zero-g can induce nausea because all your guts are kinda floating around inside your belly without gravity keeping them where they should be. But something tells me that flying around naked grasping and groping at each each other would be so much fun that it wouldn't be that bad. Plus, so many times the sex act is performed after having consumed too much alcohol, I think the nausea problem has already been mastered by the human race right here on terra firma. As usual, just as the rich get richer, astronauts get to have all the fun.
I would be quite surprised if the shuttle astronauts haven't done some research into this already. In fact, It would surprise me greatly if this wasn't nudge-nudge-wink-winked by NASA.
Will children born and raised in microgravity be super tall but frail like Sean One in Phantom 2040?
I hate to say this, but I'm pretty sure it's a repeat. I saw that ep. sometime last week. (or maybe it was the week before)
It's not bad. But the "author" who is one of their "experts" is a little weak compared to most of their experts.
-abs like The Universe a lot, has his TIVO nab it every time a new ep. comes on, he's also a big fan of Naked Science and is hoping he's not confusing his shows and lying to everyone about this being a repeat
Tricky, I'd have thought, without running the risk of drifting into something sharp and painful.
Tethers would seem to defeat the object, rather. Some might disagree.
Can't remember who it was - Heinlein? Clarke? - someone suggested that without useful things like gravity and friction, sex might actually be a little frustrating.
@13Strong:
I agree.
But perhaps this is just the topic to rekindle exploration.
The risk of running into something sharp could be eliminated by designing a nesting room that had 360 degree spherical mattress lined walls. I think tethers would be cool. Tethers are already cool here on earth. Maybe light bondage would be a prerequisite skill in space sex.
I heard of a porno that was filmed on one of those planes that they use for weightless training, so zero gravity sex hasn't even just been done, it's been filmed.
I'm sure it's happened in orbit also, which we'll hear about after the retirements of a few more of the shuttle astronauts. As the diapered astronaut lady incident has shown us, they are just as crazy/horny as the rest of us.
OK, well as long as it's being discussed...
The main problem with zero-g sex would, I think, be onanism.
Imagine the mess and hassle that a wad of free-floating semen could do, especially in a space ship.
It would ruin the white shag-pile carpets lining your intergalactic sex pad.
So, main tip - if you're going to be doing the nasty in space, make sure any men involved have something to catch their contribution in.
This episode is a repeat.. The original was a few weeks ago.
Also it was really dumb, particularly after just watching a few episodes about Light Speed and Parallel Universes, which were really interesting and perplexing.
"something to catch their contribution in."
Uh... Would 8" up a vaginal canal do?
@ #12:
Well, yeah. Basically, onanism is a no-no. No-nonanism, you could call it.
A plastic shopping bag from any old bodega would work. I'm sure NASA can figure this one out.
This whole discussion reminds me of the Simpsons episode with Homer in space. All it takes is one clumsily opened bag of potato chips and an ant colony.
As always in space matters, there's the problem of :thrust:.
It's all about the inanimate carbon rod.
@12, @13: Have you actually had sex before? It's not like it instantly disappears up the vajayjay, never to be seen again, perhaps absorbed by the magic-woman-semen-absorbing tissues. It leaks out.
*laughs near Seyo @ #12*
And I would have laughed at you if my aim wasn't horrible.
That's just a damn funny line. Not quite sure why your comment tickled my funny bone so strongly, but it really did.
-abs suspects most men won't get 8" up a vaginal canal, but your point is valid even for the more typically endowed amongst the male half of the species
I hate when people don't know when to use affect instead of effect and vice-versa. Moreso when the words are published. I mean fuckin a.
"it leaks out"
Yes, because of gravity. And a just little clenching helps hold it in. Have you ever seen the Big Lebowski? The scene at the end after the Dude and Maude hit skins? Imagine her doing that, tumbling head over heels, in space...
And yes, I've had sex before. It's awesome.
@ #19:
Yes, indeed I have! Thanks for asking!
I had thought about bringing up leakage, but was keen to deal with one issue at a time. Once we have solved the onanism issue, maybe then we can consider how to prevent post-coital leakage (or at least encourage it into some kind of recepticle).
That said, without gravity to pull it down and out, wouldn't the semen just float around inside?
@ 22:
"Imagine her doing that, tumbling head over heels, in space..."
I'm not big on physics, so someone might have to help me out here, but wouldn't that kind of spinning motion create a force that would pull the semen outwards? Like when you're on a roundabout?
Or does that not happen in zero-g?
(There's a pun here about "docking maneuvers" but I'm above that sort of thing.)
one word... MOONRAKER
@24: might have to do with how fast she was tumbling. I was imagining a slow graceful motion. Also, the ladies I've known have all the had the ability to squeeze, with varying degrees of strength. Closing the pod bay doors as it were.
OK, I have to admit stepping into this conversation right in the middle, but..
We're discussing whether the centrifugal force, of a female astronaut spinning around an orbital sex-pod, post-coitus, would be enough to dislodge the male astronaut's deposited semen, and cause it to invade the crew-cabin in a dangerous (or icky) way..?
Wow guys, touch-down. I think we're there. It took us a while, but it turns out the bottom of the barrel is actually quite comfortable.
How about some super-absorbant wadding, tucked in tight?
Both the pleasures and problems of zero gravity sex have been greatly exaggerated.
-- Arthur C. Clarke
#28: LMAO
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1042/has-anyone-ever-had-sex-in-space
@21: Agreed. But as a wise man once noted, "effect" can indeed be a verb--"to cause / bring about."
Maybe they're positing that "the extreme environments of space exploration might [cause] copulation." Certainly a bold claim, but I am willing to put this hypothesis to the test.
Somehow, this bit of doggerel from an early-80's limerick contest in Omni Magazine has stuck with me:
Zero-G is a challenge for lovers
Especially pushers and shovers
The problems of docking
And then interlocking
Are greatly increased when one hovers.
This is awesome. I am also curious about giving birth in space.
It took us a while, but it turns out the bottom of the barrel is actually quite comfortable.
Ark,
The discussion hasn't even progressed beyond two-person, one-species, heterosexual, vaginal intercourse. You're nowhere near the bottom. Or was that a dare?
Oh, I've parleyed upon worse on BB myself, remember vat-meat, ass-lobes, and the vat-like qualities of vaginas?
Those were the days..
"Or was that a dare?"
BB, consider yourselves challenged.
Space tourism: yet another way for rich old dudes to score with haht young chicks. "My dear, I can assure you, you haven't sex until you've had sex in space. In fact, I'm going up again next month. Why don't you join me? Motion sickness? No, that's never a problem..."
@35
Arkizzle, after reading BB for a year or so now, I consider a lot of commenters "challenged."
Zing! I keed, I keeed.
zero gee water tank
Strophe, I realized and replied to my own comment with a very similar line, then quietly erased it for some other sucker to make.
Sucker :)
The way blood flows in the body in extended zero-g makes functioning impossible for males. Sorry guys.
If you have ever used a chinese sling, you'll have some idea of how it would be. You would be able to hold some crazy Kama Sutra poses ( if you were flexible enough) with little muscular effort.
@ #40:
Oh well, I guess there are alternatives. I'm sure you can get strap-ons in some pretty fantastic space-age designs.
abs it's an encore you're right. your comment about the "author expert" made me think you're a friend of teresa's. will check it out. hopefully tor will enjoy the show and great they blogged about it. sorry i'm on a portable an not loggin in so this will be anonymous. hey all! david in woodland hills
abs re: "experts" shes the only one who's ever been in zero g...and looking at the rest of them she's probably the only one who's had sex of any kind.