Friday, October 19, 2007

An Ocean of Sperm

And perhaps another reason to avoid swallowing ocean water.

Photo credit Emma Hickerson



Birds do it. Bees do it. Even lowly corals do it — but infrequently, forgoing sex for as long as a year.

Then, at night, just after the full moon, under warm tropic breezes, the corals dissolve in an orgy of reproduction, sowing waters with trillions of eggs and sperm that swirl and dance and merge to form new life. The frenzy can leave pink flotsam.

Not to mention a huge wet spot.

Way cool!

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