# World's Oldest Sperm Discovered **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 15, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488 "2014-05-15T01:42:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/1 "2014-05-15T01:42:34Z")
[And it’s BIG](http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2014/05/14/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered-and-its-gigantic/?tid=pm_pop). In Australia, where every thing is bigger. Shrimp sperm became perfectly preserved 17 million years ago. The shrimp, called ostracods, were only one millimeter long, but their sperm stretches an impressive 10mm. You have to love any news story that features the words “ancient sex with gargantuan sperm.” ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/2 "2014-05-15T01:52:03Z")
A little disgusting, extremely fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/3 "2014-05-15T06:54:55Z")
You’ve discovered giant shrimp-sperm **where**? Are you **batshit** insane?! ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/4 "2014-05-15T11:50:11Z")
This discovery has been a long time coming. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/5 "2014-05-15T12:07:42Z")
You know what’s older the 17 million year old sperm? The PreCumbrian ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/6 "2014-05-15T12:15:28Z")
Someone should check the DNA. They’re probably related to Peter North. > [@](#): > > … sex that went down immediately before the ostracods were fossilized. At least they died happy. Going out with a bang, so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 1:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/7 "2014-05-15T13:16:41Z")
I thought for sure this was going to be about Mr. Namuntka down in 4C. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/8 "2014-05-15T15:09:11Z")
Awesome bukkake parties back in the day, I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/9 "2014-05-15T16:17:32Z")
While this may be the oldest fossil sperm found, sperm first developed more than 500 million years ago. Even ostracods go back around to 485 million years ago. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/10 "2014-05-15T16:26:11Z")
If you’re interested, I can also tell you where the world’s newest sperm was just lost. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/11 "2014-05-15T17:32:20Z")
Wait, how can the sperm be 10x bigger than the host? ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/12 "2014-05-15T17:41:11Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > While this may be the oldest fossil sperm found, sperm first developed more than 500 million years ago. Even ostracods go back around to 485 million years ago. These apparently were Onanacods. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/13 "2014-05-15T17:43:16Z")
> [@Hypno-Toad](#): > > This discovery has been a long time coming. _golf clap_ ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2014, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/14 "2014-05-15T18:21:08Z")
You mean they weren’t found in the world’s oldest sock? ---
**Author:** ![cwthree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9de0a6/32.png) [@cwthree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cwthree)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/15 "2014-05-16T00:43:22Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > Wait, how can the sperm be 10x bigger than the host? 10x longer - most of the sperm’s length is in its tail, which is coiled inside the host’s body. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/16 "2014-05-16T02:43:00Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > You mean they weren’t found in the world’s oldest sock? Socks aren’t allowed here. > [@cwthree](#): > > 10x longer - most of the sperm’s length is in its tail, which is coiled inside the host’s body. Again … Bukkake Party! ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/17 "2014-05-16T03:55:16Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > If you’re interested, I can also tell you where the world’s newest sperm was just lost. Definitely not interested. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [May 16, 2014, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/18 "2014-05-16T04:58:10Z")
> [@VinylTurnip](#): > > If you’re interested, I can also tell you where the world’s newest sperm was just lost. I think _I_ can tell _you_ that as of this moment. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/19 "2014-05-19T03:50:56Z")
There’s gotta be a gay marriage and bestiality joke in there somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2014, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488/20 "2014-05-19T13:41:12Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > There’s gotta be a gay marriage and bestiality joke in there somewhere. I was hoping someone would reference Joan Rivers. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/worlds-oldest-sperm-discovered/688488.md?page=2)