The life of astronauts in space is something that everyone has wondered about. What do they do up there with their free time? Can they have sex? (The answer to that is kind of complicated.) If they don’t, can they do other things? Two scientists teamed up to determine what exactly happens if a man ejaculates in space.
It’s certainly not the kind of physics lesson we ever learned in school, but it’s definitely the kind of fun fact you can bring up at parties.
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This is the kind of stuff TikTok is best for.
Scientists Dr. Esme Louise James, a sex historian, and Dr. Matt Agnew, an AI expert, teamed up to conduct this very informational science problem. They took to TikTok to share the results of their experiment.
“This information could save your life … Maybe?” James wrote in the video’s caption. “If a man found himself in the vacuum of space, how fast could he propel himself backwards, using only the power of his 💦? I’m here with @Matt Agnew to finally answer the question we’re sure has also plagued your mind for many years.”
@dr.esme.louise 🚨 This information could save your life… Maybe? If a man found himself in the vacuum of space, how fast could he propel himself backwards, using only the power of his 💦? I’m here with @Matt Agnew to finally answer the question we're sure has also plagued your mind for many years. 🧑🚀 🚀 Our bizarre reading list for this video: ⁃ "The density of human 💦 and the validation of weight as an indicator of volume: a multicentre study," Reproductive Biology (2010) ⁃ "Effects of serotonin, dopamine and ergometrine on locomotion in the pulmonate mollusc Helix lucorum," Journal of Experimental Biology (2001) #SexTistics #space #astro #physics #facts #LearnOnTikTok ♬ original sound – Dr. Esmé Louise James
The scientists used physics to figure it out.
To be able to answer this question, the scientists had to use the “conservation of momentum.” The “conservation of momentum says that the total momentum of two or more bodies in a system will remain the same,” Agnew explained. He described it as “mass multiplied by the velocity of the ejaculate will equal the mass multiplied by the velocity of the man.”
Next, they needed to figure out the average volume of ejaculate, which they estimated to be about a teaspoon. The density would be one gram per milliliter.
According to the scientists, the speed of ejaculation is a surprisingly fast 27mph (or 45km/hr). “We multiply the mass by velocity, and that gives us the momentum of the ejaculate,” Agnew shared.
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That might not be as fast as you think it is.
“Let’s say the average man weighs 70 kilos. This means the velocity must equal 0.000562 meters/second,” Agnew said. Simply put, the man’s ejaculation would cause him to go backward at a whopping two meters (6.56 feet) per hour. And how fast is that exactly?
“About the speed of an average garden snail,” he quipped.
Sadly, if you were hoping for it to cause him to fly backward at a comically fast speed, you’re out of luck, according to the scientists. “So, if you ever find yourself in the vacuum of space, and you want to use ejaculate as propellant, you’re not gonna be moving very quickly,” Agnew joked.
The scientists didn’t know they were creating ice-breaker content.
People had some good-natured comments for the scientists about their equation.
One person already knows what to do with this information. “Should I use this as an ice breaker? Of course I will,” the commenter wrote.
“These school math problems are getting insane,” another person joked.
“This is the information I am here for! yes!” someone else chimed in.
“Physics has never been put to better use than this,” yet another person added.
