# How to see sperm. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 28, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243 "2006-03-28T14:48:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ticker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@ticker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ticker)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/1 "2006-03-28T14:48:38Z")
What sort of magnification microscope do you need to see human sperm clearly? Do you need a special type of slide or stain, or can you just put a drop of - [cough] - _stuff_ on a regular slide and put on a cover slip? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/2 "2006-03-28T15:29:41Z")
A little blob-O-cum and a coverslip will suffice. 600X is sufficient magnification. Remember, **When you look into the sperm, the sperm also looks into you.** ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/3 "2006-03-28T15:34:10Z")
[How to view sperm via microscope?](http://ask.metafilter.com/mefi/20996) ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/4 "2006-03-28T15:35:50Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > Remember, **When you look into the sperm, the sperm also looks into you.** That is a sound warning. I tried it once and had good success without any stain. I just used a plain slide. I don’t remember the microscope magnification but it wasn’t that great. It was a research lab grade microscope however. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/5 "2006-03-28T15:44:12Z")
Squink: > [@](#): > > Remember, When you look into the sperm, the sperm also looks into you. That would have been in Soviet Russia, wouldn’t it have? ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/6 "2006-03-28T15:46:50Z")
> [@ticker](#): > > can you just put a drop of - [cough] - _stuff_ on a regular slide and put on a cover slip? :rolleyes: “[cough]”? Exactly how _did_ you collect this sample? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/7 "2006-03-28T15:47:25Z")
[Here’s one way](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=355154&highlight=sperm) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/8 "2006-03-28T15:52:36Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > Squink: > That would have been in Soviet Russia, wouldn’t it have? Or Weimar, before it got all touristy. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/9 "2006-03-28T16:11:59Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > [Here’s one way](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=355154&highlight=sperm) I thought you were giving and example of collection methods… ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2006, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-to-see-sperm/350243/10 "2006-03-28T17:12:16Z")
If you want to stain the _specimen_, india ink is the way to go. Also, remember sperm are fragile, so you should pre-warm the slide to avoid chilling the guys if you want to view motility.