# How quickly does sperm die off?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 26, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162 "2003-12-26T21:12:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Lithium](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/71c47a/32.png) [@Lithium](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lithium)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162/1 "2003-12-26T21:12:10Z")

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How quickly does it die off when exposed to open air?

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2003, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162/2 "2003-12-26T22:12:59Z")

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When the semen dries up, IIRC. It can live for (3, I think) days if kept moist, as long as it doesn’t come (ahem) into contact with mustard.  
Peace,  
mangeorge

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162/3 "2003-12-27T00:43:14Z")

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Or until mangeorge [pan-fries](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=198659) it.

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**Author:** ![DarthTurk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/dbc845/32.png) [@DarthTurk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DarthTurk)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162/4 "2003-12-27T00:46:18Z")

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Is anyone else disturbed (and amused) by the increase in penis/sperm related threads over the past few days?

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**Author:** ![doctordoowop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecc23a/32.png) [@doctordoowop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doctordoowop)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162/5 "2003-12-27T05:45:30Z")

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mangeorge is right. 72 hours in a warm moist place, awaiting an egg to fertilize. So sex 3 days before ovulation can still result in preganancy.

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**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162/6 "2003-12-27T17:06:23Z")

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I watched some under a covered slide at work once. They lasted about 6 hours until they dried up and died.

They never stopped to ask directions either.

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**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2003, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-quickly-does-sperm-die-off/221162/7 "2003-12-27T17:34:07Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by DarthTurk \*  
> \*\*Is anyone else disturbed (and amused) by the increase in penis/sperm related threads over the past few days? \*\*

Just a bunch of men, asserting our (throbbing) manhoods.