Sperm Lost in Space, Olympics Ban, & Atlantis

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Adam Rogers
March 27, 2026

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Researchers found that microgravity can impair sperm’s ability to navigate toward an egg, potentially reducing fertility in space. In lab simulations, sperm exposed to microgravity were significantly less likely to reach their target, despite showing no changes in their physical motion.
The study, conducted by researchers at the University of Adelaide, used a rotating device to simulate weightlessness in space and tested human, pig, and rodent sperm in a channel mimicking the female reproductive tract. Without gravity, sperm appeared to lose directional cues, though researchers partially restored navigation by introducing progesterone, a hormone that creates a chemical trail toward the egg.
The effects extended beyond navigation. Mouse sperm exposed to simulated microgravity showed a 30% drop in fertilization success, along with early signs of impaired embryo development. As commercial spaceflight expands, researchers warn that reproductive risks in low-gravity environments remain critically understudied.

The International Olympic Committee announced that transgender athletes will be banned from the women's category at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics and beyond. Athletes will be screened for the SRY gene — a genetic marker associated with male development — via saliva, cheek swab, or blood sample in a once-in-a-lifetime test.
Exceptions apply to athletes with Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome or other differences of sex development who do not benefit from testosterone's performance-enhancing effects. Athletes who test positive can compete in the men's category, mixed events, or any unsegregated event.
The IOC recommended that the policy be adopted by all sports governing bodies worldwide, excluding grassroots and recreational sports. No transgender women competed at the 2024 Paris Games.

Conservatives gather in Texas this week for the Conservative Political Action Conference, one of the largest annual Republican events, without President Trump or Vice President Vance for the first time in nearly a decade. The White House cited Trump's schedule and the ongoing Iran war.
The gathering comes as the Iran war has fractured parts of the MAGA coalition. Steve Bannon, a speaker at CPAC, has warned that the conflict could cost Republicans voters before November's midterms. Tucker Carlson called it a "betrayal" of Trump's base. A Quinnipiac poll found 54% of voters oppose US military action in Iran, though 86% of Republicans support it.
The conference also highlights a brewing Texas Senate primary between Attorney General Ken Paxton and incumbent John Cornyn — Paxton is scheduled to speak while Cornyn is not. Trump has not endorsed either candidate.

Trump will order DHS to immediately pay TSA officers working unpaid during the shutdown, as airport disruptions grow and Congress remains deadlocked over funding. (More) | Trump said that any attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure will be paused until April 6 and that talks with Iran continue. (More)

The Army is raising its maximum enlistment age from 35 to 42 to expand its recruiting pool, which the Pentagon says only 23% of young Americans are eligible to join. (More)

A New York judge refused Thursday to dismiss drug charges against jailed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, who argued the US was blocking his access to funds for his defense. (More)

Israel killed the Iranian commander responsible for closing the Strait of Hormuz, the Defense Ministry said Thursday. (More)

Nepal's rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah dropped a unity rap hours before being sworn in as prime minister, the first leader elected since a youth uprising toppled the government. (More)

Iran says 26 South Korean ships blocked in the Strait of Hormuz can leave, but Seoul must first share vessel details and get clearance from Tehran's military. (More)

US stock markets closed lower on Thursday (S&P -1.74%, Nasdaq -2.38%, Dow -1.01%) as higher oil prices weighed on markets, as traders tracked the latest developments out of the Middle East. (More)

United Airlines reached a tentative deal giving flight attendants their first raises in six years, with top pay hitting $100 an hour and a $740 million signing bonus. (More)

Meta is spending $10 billion on an El Paso data center, up from $1.5 billion, as the company pours money into AI infrastructure amid court losses and fresh layoffs. (More)

Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a miss at the buzzer as No. 2 Purdue edged Texas 79-77 in the Sweet 16, despite 29 points from injured Longhorns star Tramon Mark. (More)

Cy Young winner Paul Skenes lasted two outs in Pittsburgh's opener as center fielder ONeil Cruz dropped two fly balls, helping the Mets chase him from the game. (More)

Paul McCartney is releasing his 18th solo album, "The Boys of Dungeon Lane," a 14-track collection of childhood memories and love songs. (More)

Austrian physicists found the first experimental evidence that cause and effect can exist in multiple orders at once, a key prediction of quantum theory that had never been verified. (More)

iPhone hacking tools have leaked online and are now plug-and-play for anyone to use, but Apple says updating to the latest iOS blocks the attacks. (More)

A UT Austin paleontologist snorkeling in a Texas water cave found Ice Age fossils of a giant tortoise and lion-sized armadillo relative never before discovered in Central Texas. (More)

Stories from a scientist who survived inside a tornado.

Ruins off the coast of Louisiana hint at Atlantis-like lost city.

How manatees live in the ocean but drink fresh water.

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