During sexual intercorse, is the 200 - 600 million swimming sperm the same person?
Since only one makes it to the egg, Im I just lucky to be here or was my dna and exact self in every sperm during that intercourse?
2007-04-24 11:08:33 · 5 answers · asked by sfumato1002 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Very good question.
Every person is the result of
-- the egg that was lucky enough to be the one that was ready at the time of fertilization and
-- the sperm that won the race to be the one to enter the egg.
So we're all just lucky to be here. Any of those other sperms wouldn't be any more like you than any brother or sister might be. Each one would have resulted in a different individual.
Rather remarkable, isn't it?
And it's so refreshing to read a question that you are thinking for yourself and actually ***w o n d e r i n g*** about something. I'm going to give this question a star, and I wish I could give you a star, too.
2007-04-24 11:25:58 · answer #1 · answered by ecolink 7 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Think about the process of meiosis - each sperm has its own unique DNA.
Your father had two parents, each contributed half of his chromosomes, one of each pair from each parent. One of each pair goes into each sperm, but there's also crossing over that sort of mix-and-matches between them.
Then there's the question of how much of 'you' is due to your genes. Nature vs nurture is a hot debate, but it's pretty obvious that each plays a role. There are people who believe in souls, too.
You would probably be here had a different sperm fertilized your mom's egg. But you might have slightly differently shaped toenails, different colour eyes, perhaps be an inch taller or shorter. The genetic differences may sum up to differences in the person you have become. People who believe in souls would possibly say that your soul would have inhabited your body no matter what genes you recieved.
2007-04-24 11:19:32 · answer #2 · answered by melanie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, you are incredibly lucky to be here. Each one of those sperm was different and could have formed a different person. Chances are that your mother had also ovulated more than one egg (as is being increasingly recognized), making the odds for you being here even smaller. The sperm that is now you was indeed a fast swimmer, yet still, incredible amounts of luck were involved. Don't blow it...
2007-04-24 11:55:17 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
No Each sperm cell and egg cell is different
"Crossing over" changes the DNA in Meiosis 1
2007-04-24 11:18:42 · answer #4 · answered by Corey C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All different.
You are the product of the fastest swimmer.
2007-04-24 11:39:21 · answer #5 · answered by Labsci 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋