Eight things you didnt know you could do with human sperm

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Sperm are single-purposed: They're optimized to get to an egg and

inseminate it. But that doesn't mean there isn't more to this cell than
meets the ovum. Sperm, along with its travelling companion, semen, are
surprisingly versatile and adaptable substances. Here are eight
unconventional things you can do with human sperm.
1. Skin softener
Sperm contains an anti-oxidant called spermine
(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16107320) that is thought to
diminish wrinkles, smooth the skin, and help with acne. Looking to take
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Eight things you didnt know you could do with human sperm

http://io9.com/5938114/eight-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with...

advantage of these much sought after attributes, a Norwegian company

called Bioforskning (you can't make this stuff up) has synthesized the
compound and is selling it as a facial cream (http://nymag.com
/news/intelligencer/56941/). These, uh, spermine facials
(http://www.cosmopolitan.com/hairstyles-beauty/beautyblog/spermine-facials) cost $250 and can be ordered through Townhouse
Spa (http://nymag.com/listings/beauty/townhouse-spa/), or for $125
Graceful Services (http://nymag.com/listings/beauty

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/graceful_services/).
2. Cooking
Those looking to take their culinary skills to the next level should check
out a book by Fotie Photenhauer called Natural Harvest
(http://www.lulu.com/shop/fotie-photenhauer/natural-harvesta-collection-of-semen-based-recipes/paperback/product20052760.html), a collection of semen-based recipes. The book
description:

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Eight things you didnt know you could do with human sperm

http://io9.com/5938114/eight-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with...

Semen is not only nutritious, but it also has a wonderful

texture and amazing cooking properties. Like fine wine and
cheeses, the taste of semen is complex and dynamic. Semen is
inexpensive to produce and is commonly available in many, if
not most, homes and restaurants. Despite all of these positive
qualities, semen remains neglected as a food.
This book hopes to change that.

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Once you overcome any initial hesitation, you will be

surprised to learn how wonderful semen is in the kitchen.
Semen is an exciting ingredient that can give every dish you
make an interesting twist. If you are a passionate cook and
are not afraid to experiment with new ingredients - you will
love this cook book!

3. Painting

Artist Martin Von Ostrowski (http://www.martinvonostrowski.de/) is

known for using bodily fluids as his paint mediums (including his
infamous portrait of Hitler made from his own excrement). Back in 2008,
Von Ostrowski put out an exhibition (http://www.thelocal.de/society
/20081223-16325.html) at the Gay Museum in Berlin in which he
featured works painted with his own semen. A single painting requires
about 40 ejaculations, which, given the size of the exhibition, suggests
that he needed to ejaculate at least 1,000 times. Impressive! Von
Ostrowski is able to keep these large quantities of sperm fresh by freezing
it.
4. Invisible ink

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http://io9.com/5938114/eight-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with...

Back during World War I, the British Secret Intelligence Service (MI6)
discovered that semen could act as an effective invisible ink
(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8015180/MI6-used-bodilyfluids-as-invisible-ink.html). In June 1915, Walter Kirke, deputy head of
military intelligence in France, wrote in his diary that chief Mansfield
Cumming (yes), was "making enquiries for invisible inks at the London
University." Rumor at the time had it that semen worked particularly
well, and follow-up studies showed that it did not react to the usual
methods of detection (including iodine vapor). It was also readily
available for any intrepid secret service agent willing to make the
sacrifice. The practice went into use, but it was noted that on at least one
occasion that an agent had to be reminded to use only fresh supplies of
the "ink" when people started noticing an unusual smell.
5. An anti-Depressant for women
Another potential application for semen is its use as an anti-depressant.
This idea is quite controversial but there is a modicum of scientific
evidence to support it. A study done back in 2002
(http://www.springerlink.com/content/wrkl9lc5ueu43rh8/?MUD=MP)
showed that women who were directly exposed to semen were less
depressed. The researchers concluded that this was on account of
mood-altering hormones in the semen being absorbed through the vagina
and that they had ruled out other explanations (New Scientist didn't
entirely agree proposing a number of their own
(http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn2457-semen-acts-asan-antidepressant.html)). That said, as Jesse Bering has pointed out
(http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/bering-in-mind/2010/09/22/anode-to-the-many-evolved-virtues-of-human-semen/), "there's good in
this goo":

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Eight things you didnt know you could do with human sperm

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In fact, semen has a very complicated chemical profile,

containing over 50 different compounds (including

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hormones, neurotransmitters, endorphins and

immunosupressants) each with a special function and
occurring in different concentrations within the seminal
plasma. Perhaps the most striking of these compounds is the
bundle of mood-enhancing chemicals in semen...Such
anxiolytic chemicals include, but are by no means limited to,
cortisol (known to increase affection), estrone (which elevates
mood), prolactin (a natural antidepressant), oxytocin (also
elevates mood), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (another
antidepressant), melatonin (a sleep-inducing agent) and even
serotonin (perhaps the most well-known antidepressant
neurotransmitter).

6. Ovulation control
A recent study (http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/08
/15/1206273109.abstract?sid=2e631d6c-b053-4f5b8540-3d6d4babab89) at the University of Saskatchewan has discovered
that a protein in semen acts on the female brain to prompt ovulation
and that it's the same molecule that regulates the growth, maintenance,
and survival of nerve cells. As a result, it's very possible that semen acts
as a hormonal signal, working through the hypothalamus of the female
brain and the pituitary gland. This in turn triggers the release of other
hormones that signal the ovaries to release an egg.
7. Help with morning sickness

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http://io9.com/5938114/eight-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with...

Okay, this is probably the last thing a woman is thinking about when
she's suffering through morning sickness, but psychologist Gordon
Gallup at SUNY-Albany, a male member of the human species who
specializes in human reproductive competition and behavior, is
suggesting that oral sex could serve as a kind of cure. Gordon theorizes
that expectant women become ill and vomit because their bodies are
rejecting the sperm's genetic material as something foreign and
unfamiliar (http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science
/2012/07/morning_sickness_can_more_sex_help_.3.html). His idea,
which was presented at 2012 Northeastern Evolutionary Psychology
Society (http://neepsociety.com/facebook/), suggests that women can
build up their immunity by ingesting the sperm of the baby's father.
Gallup's conclusion is a bit hard to swallow, but there's also a scientific
study (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10706945) supporting the
idea that oral sex can reduce the incidence of preeclampsia in pregnant
women.
8. Archival storage of information

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Eight things you didnt know you could do with human sperm

http://io9.com/5938114/eight-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with...

In what gives new meaning to the

term "hard drive", human sperm
a transmitter of DNA could

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be used to store information a

(http://io9.com

lot of information. We recently

/5935415

reported (http://io9.com
/5935415/why-dna-is-the-futureof-data-storage) on a

/why-dnais-thefuture-

breakthrough by Sriram Kosui

of-data-

and his team at Harvard and

Johns Hopkins in which he
devised a technique for archiving
information in DNA. The process,
which takes advantage of DNA's
data sequencing attributes, could
be used to store as much as one
petabyte of data (one petabyte =

Think the
storage)
memory card in
your camera is
high-capacity? It's got nothing on
DNA. With data accumulating at a
faster rate now than any other point
Read (http://io9.com/5935415
/why-dna-is-the-future-of-datastorage)

1,024 terabytes) in a volume of 1.5

mg of DNA. Because genetic
information can be packaged in three dimensions, that equates to a
storage volume of about one cubic millimeter so you'll finally have a
secure and ironic place to store your massive digital porn collection.
Image credits: Josh Resnick/Shutterstock.com
(http://Shutterstock.com), Here (http://www.worldsstrangest.com
/mental-floss/8-artists-who-poured-their-heart-and-soul-into-theirwork-also-their-blood-and-urine/), here (http://www.dailystab.com
/mike-myers-signs-on-for-austin-powers-4/), here
(http://www.sanger.ac.uk/about/press/2007/071202.html), here
(http://b4tea.blogspot.ca/2011/12/best-ways-to-cope-with-morningsickness.html).
Like

7.7k

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This misogynistic post was

George, you gave image credi

written by a man. A little quip

for all except the last image o

about using SEMEN (not sperm,

IPhoning
am so getting
that cook
book
Speaking
as a manufacturer
of as
Hollywood
studios
stupid) as a face cream might
a
gagstuff,
giftstory
for
someone,
IBritish
just hope
this
here
are
my reactions:
pitching
of
Brave
have passed. But, antidepressant?
I never haveofficers
the pleasure
of
intelligence
proudly
1)
Thisismust
be staggeringly
There
NO valid
science here.
trying
anything
of theas soon as I
wanking
for freedom
expensive
if human waste
semenofis
This is a disgusting
recipes
settle on appropriate title. Maybe
involved.
The average
barely
internet space.
I find itguy
offensive.
.Thunderballs
produces
morepolitical
than a few
In the current
climate
?
teaspoons
of therights
stuff in
an
where women's
and

DNA... which is the most

Oh, please. There is no,
interesting; provenance
"modicum of scientific eviden
appreciated... unless, it is Jos
to support" the idea that sper
Resnick's image, in which cas
has any affect on depression
would like to know how to se
women. This sad, pathetic,
more than a
misogynistic little theory is li
thumbnail
the "blue
Not
that I'll
balls"
be ordering
plea thatseme
boy
.Such
ano
scary
topic
What
suggestion
to and
usefor
sp
used
burgers
to
use
anytime
inarticle
high
soon,
school.
Isec

ejaculation.
And,
likereviled
many by
viewpoints are
being
cosmetics,
is almost
the GOP asthere
irrelevant
and no
evidence
that any of itisdoes
inconsequential,
Don't accept any this
dinnerin very,
anything.
very poor taste. Badly
done,
invitations
giving
themIO9.
the
How about after
"A Few
Good
Badly
2)
Theasstuff
book
a tastes like salty snot!
Wankers?
done
gift
"What, too much information?
.Let's
be honest here. If it tasted
.

commenting
that
allo
as
Good
for
you!system
Hopefully
you
as
believe
Ihair
cook
you're
98%
actually
of all meals
postin
in
anonymous
Butmen
i to
sha
ge
move
on to
aposting.
new
girlfriend
w
this crap.
households,
Too
it's
bad
not
more
likely

syrup or something, maybe we'd

not
be limber
dissuaded
and
will
laren't
would
not
need
this
article
to
become
a regular
enough
thing
to
in use
ou
as
another place
postsolve
a rela
begin
self-fellate.
diet
That to
would
Going
to
the
linked
article
in
QI
with..
.of
related section, it looks like it
.clip
problems
from
!.
Shutterstock
Ha! Forgot about
.that...

have something. Semen sucks as

.Would you care for some ... o

a condiment. And again, it must

How
would
you expensive
define
"valid
This
was
written
by a man,
be pretty
damn
orhmm,
time
science"
other
than
published
in a
how
consuming
to get enough to cook

yourcannot
fries be held responsib
io9

like ketchup, wasabi, chocolate

peer
reviewed journal
convenient..
on a industrial
scale.
(http://www.springerlink.com
.
3)
This only hammers home how
/content/wrkl9lc5ueu43rh8
hard
it is to get It
enough
thisnot
/?MUD=MP)?
may orofmay

sir/madam
any
ill-advised
forwarding
of
Solve
problems?
Productivity

?article
would grind to a
brilliant.
:halt
thanks
to every woman in t
)
!Forward
.world
.

stuff.
That turn
and the
an
ultimately
outartist
to be is
correct,
eccentric.
but there doesn't seem to be
anything
wrong
withthis
the just
science.
4) Holy ned.
I guess

actually...

emphasizes
what
a desperate
Plus, I do hope
you
can see the
time
the
Second
World
Warpost
was.
irony in "This misogynistic

http://www.popsci.com/scie

was
written
by a is still far from
5)
This
research
man.
conclusive, if true at all. Frankly
"I'm very skeptical.

/article/2011-05/controversi
ideas-semen-naturesantidepressant
http://www.lmgtfy.com

And if it's down to one chemical

/?q=sperm+antidepressan

in semen having a mood leveling

property in the insanely complex

neurochemistry of women (And
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Eight things you didnt know you could do with human sperm

http://io9.com/5938114/eight-things-you-didnt-know-you-could-do-with...

I do note
let's
not forget
this quote:
guys, that our
neurochemistry is just as insanely
Gallup, however, admitted to
complex.), pharmaceutical plants
Clark-Flory that evidence of
can manufacture that chemical in
semen's antidepressant qualities
vast quantities much more
is "largely correlational,"
efficiently. My skepticism stem
And ifhow
he'shugely
not waving
theall
flag
for
from
indirect
this
causation,
who's left to do it?
stuff
is.

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And
is that
haven't
met
6)
This
is allyou
kind
of obvious
misogynistic
women, or
actually.
No surprises
orthat they
don't
write here.
posts?Although
I haven'tthe
spent
comments
much
on actual
Jez, but
I bumped
sciencetime
in the
mechanisms
into
more
one suchvery
author
behind
thisthan
is probably
there
interesting.
.
7) See number five. This stuff is
still far from conclusive. I remain
skeptical.
8) This is not remarkable and
hardly confined to spermatozoa.
Pretty much any cell can be used
to store huge amount of
information in its
DNA
.

Why would you need huge

quantities of it? Maybe you could
see it as more of a vitamin pill
than anything else. You don't eat
huge quantities of vitamin pills
every day do you?
Taste is highly subjective so that's
a poor argument.
Also why would you trust
pharmaceutical plants more than
a natural substance? A lot of
nutrition like dairy products for
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Eight things you didnt know you could do with human sperm

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example are about all the

multitude of different compounds
being in balance with each other,
vitamins, minerals, fatty acids,
proteins, sugars, enzymes etc, in
order for assimilation and benifit
to take place.
I'm not saying this is something

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everyone should look into, and I

would probably not drink it
myself being a male, but you need
to think outside the box
sometimes, not just reinforce old
taboos
.

"Why would you need huge

quantities of it?"
This question assumes a couple of
things that are by no means
conclusively proven:
1) I am highly skeptical that
human sperm has any beneficial
cosmetic effects. Show me a few
huge sample size, double blind
FDA studies, and maybe, maybe,
I'll change my mind.
2) If there is a beneficial effect,
we don't have any idea at all how
much will be needed. You say it
might be small but this is no
more certain than my saying that
it might need huge quantities.
"You don't eat huge quantities of
vitamin pills every day do you?"
See point two above. We have no
idea how much is needed to have
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Eight things you didnt know you could do with human sperm

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any effect, never mind that we

have no idea it has any effect at
all.
"Also why would you trust
pharmaceutical plants more
than a natural substance?"
Because chemically there is

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absolutely no difference. Cow's

milk made by gene-tweaked
bacteria is identical to milk
straight from a cows udder.
"Taste is highly subjective so
that's a poor argument."
Well, going by stuff I've
frequently read in Dan Savage's
column, the general opinion by
men and women, is that human
semen really isn't the most
pleasant tasting stuff there is on
this planet. And having tasted
some of my ownWhat? Too
much information again?salty
snot seems pretty accurate.
But hey, yeah, there are actually
people who like anchovies on
pizzano accounting for taste, I'll
give you that one.
Anyway, the cosmetics industry is
rife with bullshit claims
concerning medicinal benefits. If
these were really true, many
cosmetics would be regulated
entirely differently than many
currently
are
.

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