1

00:00:07,340 --> 00:00:09,775

THE MATURE SPERM
IN THE EPIDIDYMIS

2
00:00:09,842 --> 00:00:13,112
WILL PASS OUT OF THE MAN'S BODY
THROUGH EJACULATION

3
00:00:13,179 --> 00:00:17,283
200 TO 300 MILLION AT A TIME

4
00:00:17,350 --> 00:00:23,690
OR THEY WILL EVENTUALLY DIE
AND BE REABSORBED.

5
00:00:23,756 --> 00:00:26,292
THESE SPERM CARRY
THE MAN'S GENETIC MATERIAL

6
00:00:26,359 --> 00:00:28,228
AND THEY ARE FULLY MATURE.

7
00:00:31,498 --> 00:00:35,535
BUT THEY ARE NOT YET ABLE
TO FERTILIZE A WOMAN'S EGG.

8
00:00:35,602 --> 00:00:38,437
THEY DO NOT ATTAIN THAT ABILITY

9
00:00:38,504 --> 00:00:41,641
UNTIL THEY ARE ACTUALLY FAR UP
INSIDE THE WOMAN'S BODY.

10
00:00:48,380 --> 00:00:50,349
THEY MAY STAY IN THE EPIDIDYMIS

11
00:00:50,416 --> 00:00:52,251
THE BAG-LIKE STRUCTURE
ON THE LEFT

12
00:00:52,318 --> 00:00:53,686
FOR SEVERAL WEEKS.

13
00:00:57,790 --> 00:01:01,760
WHILE HERE, THEY DEVELOP
THE ABILITY TO SWIM.

14
00:01:04,997 --> 00:01:06,966
A SPERM PROPELS ITSELF

15
00:01:07,032 --> 00:01:10,069
BY MEANS OF A LONG TAIL,
A FLAGELLUM

16
00:01:10,136 --> 00:01:13,806
WHICH LASHES VIGOROUSLY
FROM SIDE TO SIDE.

17
00:01:13,873 --> 00:01:17,876
THIS EXTRAORDINARY ACTIVITY
HAS BUT A SINGLE PURPOSE:

18
00:01:17,943 --> 00:01:22,047
TO DELIVER THE GENETIC MATERIAL
IN THE SPERM'S HEAD

19
00:01:22,114 --> 00:01:25,518
QUICKLY AND PRECISELY
TO THE WOMAN'S EGG.

20
00:01:25,585 --> 00:01:29,154
ON THE TIP OF THE SPERM'S HEAD
IS A LAYER OF ENZYMES

21
00:01:29,222 --> 00:01:31,023
AND ENZYME INHIBITORS.

22
00:01:31,057 --> 00:01:33,592
THE INHIBITORS
PRESERVE THE ENZYMES

23
00:01:33,659 --> 00:01:36,029
WHICH WILL BE NEEDED LATER

24
00:01:36,095 --> 00:01:39,231
TO PENETRATE
THE SURFACE OF THE EGG.

25
00:01:39,265 --> 00:01:44,236
THIS IS HOW THE SPERM'S HEAD
LOOKS WITHOUT ITS ENZYME CAP.

26
00:01:44,303 --> 00:01:47,307
THE MATERIAL OF THE HEAD
ITSELF IS LOADED

27
00:01:47,373 --> 00:01:50,242
WITH THE ACTUAL
GENETIC INFORMATION

28
00:01:50,309 --> 00:01:52,745
WHICH WILL BE TRANSMITTED
TO THE EGG.

29
00:01:52,812 --> 00:01:55,614
THESE ARE THE STRANDS OF DNA

30
00:01:55,681 --> 00:01:58,817
WHICH WILL BE TRANSFORMED
INTO CHROMOSOMES.

31
00:02:00,619 --> 00:02:03,356
THIS IS ONE OF
THE MANY FUEL PACKETS

32
00:02:03,422 --> 00:02:06,125
ARRANGED ALONG
THE MIDPIECE OF THE SPERM.

33
00:02:06,192 --> 00:02:08,960
THE FUEL CONSISTS OF SUGARS

34
00:02:09,026 --> 00:02:12,498
WHICH IS CONVERTED INTO ENERGY
FOR THE SPERM'S LOCOMOTION.

35
00:02:14,934 --> 00:02:18,504
THE PROPULSION SYSTEM
OF THE SPERM'S TAIL

36
00:02:18,571 --> 00:02:21,407
IS MADE UP OF A BUNDLE
OF CORDS, OR FILAMENTS.

37
00:02:24,577 --> 00:02:28,981
THE FILAMENTS ARE COVERED
WITH THOUSANDS OF TINY HOOKS.

38
00:02:29,048 --> 00:02:33,252
AS THE HOOKS INTERMESH,
THE WHOLE BUNDLE BEGINS TO BEND

39
00:02:33,319 --> 00:02:36,888
AND THE TAILS OF THE SPERM
BEGIN TO WHIP AROUND LIKE THIS.

40
00:02:40,559 --> 00:02:45,164
IT IS A PRIMITIVE, BUT HIGHLY
EFFICIENT, SYSTEM OF PROPULSION.

41
00:02:51,271 --> 00:02:54,172
THE SYSTEM DOES NOT
FUNCTION PERFECTLY EVERY TIME.

42
00:02:59,078 --> 00:03:02,982
ON THE AVERAGE, UP TO 20%
OF A NORMAL MAN'S SPERM

43
00:03:03,016 --> 00:03:05,851
ARE DEFORMED
OR IMPERFECT IN SOME WAY.

44
00:03:10,856 --> 00:03:14,761
PERHAPS ONE REASON WHY A MAN
PRODUCES SO VERY MANY SPERM

45
00:03:14,827 --> 00:03:17,463
IS THAT SO VERY MANY THINGS
CAN GO WRONG

46
00:03:17,530 --> 00:03:18,864
WITH THE SPERM THEMSELVES.

47
00:03:22,001 --> 00:03:25,270
THEY MAY HAVE TWO TAILS,
LIKE THIS ONE.

48
00:03:25,337 --> 00:03:27,607
SOME EVEN HAVE THREE TAILS.
49
00:03:30,810 --> 00:03:34,981
IN ANOTHER COMMON DEFORMITY,
THE HEADS OF THESE SPERM

50
00:03:35,047 --> 00:03:38,451
APPEAR TO BE NEARLY SEVERED
FROM THEIR TAILS.

51
00:03:38,517 --> 00:03:41,721
THIS SPERM HAS BEEN ATTACKED
BY BACTERIA.

52
00:03:45,357 --> 00:03:49,328
AND THIS ONE MAY HAVE
BEEN PRODUCED TOO RAPIDLY.

53
00:03:49,395 --> 00:03:51,965
IT WILL NEVER COMPLETE
ITS DEVELOPMENT.

54
00:03:54,700 --> 00:03:58,269
WHITE BLOOD CORPUSCLES,
THE LARGE, ROUND CELLS

55
00:03:58,337 --> 00:04:01,540
ARE OFTEN FOUND TOGETHER
WITH DEFECTIVE SPERM.

56
00:04:01,607 --> 00:04:04,644
THEIR PRESENCE INDICATES
THE LIKELIHOOD

57
00:04:04,710 --> 00:04:08,313
OF INFECTION, FEVER
OR EVEN A COMMON COLD.

58
00:04:08,380 --> 00:04:11,350
MOST OF THESE SPERM DEFORMITIES
COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED

59
00:04:11,416 --> 00:04:13,819
BY JUST A SLIGHT ELEVATION

60
00:04:13,886 --> 00:04:15,688
IN THE TEMPERATURE
OF THE TESTICLES.

61
00:04:19,591 --> 00:04:23,763
ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS, TOO,
OFTEN DAMAGE SPERM PRODUCTION.

62
00:04:26,966 --> 00:04:28,101
OVERCROWDING...

63
00:04:30,002 --> 00:04:32,238
STRESS...

64
00:04:32,305 --> 00:04:35,140
SMOKING...

65
00:04:35,207 --> 00:04:38,177
CHEMICAL POLLUTION
OF AIR AND WATER...

66
00:04:38,244 --> 00:04:41,346
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS...

67
00:04:41,413 --> 00:04:43,249
RADIATION...

68
00:04:43,315 --> 00:04:46,185
POOR NUTRITION...

69
00:04:46,252 --> 00:04:47,886
ALL PART OF MODERN LIFE.

70
00:04:50,389 --> 00:04:55,361
EVEN OUR MODERN CLOTHING
MAY AFFECT SPERM PRODUCTION.

71
00:04:55,427 --> 00:04:57,430
TIGHT BLUE JEANS, FOR EXAMPLE

72
00:04:57,496 --> 00:04:59,899
HOLD THE TESTICLES
UP CLOSE TO THE BODY

73
00:04:59,966 --> 00:05:02,067
PERHAPS RAISING
THEIR TEMPERATURE

74
00:05:02,134 --> 00:05:04,002
THOSE FEW CRITICAL DEGREES.

75
00:05:04,037 --> 00:05:06,270
BUT IN SPITE OF SUCH OBSTACLES

76
00:05:06,338 --> 00:05:09,341
HUMAN BEINGS HAVE BEEN
SUCCESSFULLY REPRODUCING

77
00:05:09,408 --> 00:05:11,210
FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.

78
00:05:14,747 --> 00:05:17,383
SINCE THE FIRST ORGANISMS
SWAM IN THE SEA

79
00:05:17,449 --> 00:05:20,286
THE CYCLE OF LIFE
HAS BEEN CONTINUOUS

80
00:05:20,352 --> 00:05:23,087
FUELED BY THE NEED
AND THE DRIVE TO REPRODUCE.

81
00:05:28,928 --> 00:05:31,464
AMONG HUMAN BEINGS

82
00:05:31,530 --> 00:05:35,768
THAT DRIVE IS INTIMATELY LINKED
WITH ATTRACTION AND DESIRE.

83
00:05:43,876 --> 00:05:49,114
AFFECTION AND ROMANTIC LOVE MAY
INITIATE THE DANCE OF COURTSHIP

84
00:05:49,148 --> 00:05:51,083
WHICH MAY LEAD TO CONCEPTION.

85
00:06:01,460 --> 00:06:04,630
SEXUALITY, AFFECTION
AND TENDERNESS
86
00:06:04,696 --> 00:06:08,133
CAN ALL BE PART OF
THE COMPLEX RITUALS OF MATING.

87
00:06:21,013 --> 00:06:24,049
BUT DESIRE AND PHYSICAL LOVE

88
00:06:24,116 --> 00:06:28,020
POSSESS A SILENT LANGUAGE
ALL THEIR OWN

89
00:06:28,087 --> 00:06:30,756
THAT SIGNAL PARTNERS'
READINESS TO EACH OTHER.

90
00:06:33,025 --> 00:06:36,161
THE EYES ARE PART
OF THAT SILENT LANGUAGE.

91
00:06:39,498 --> 00:06:43,468
VISUAL IMPRESSIONS STIMULATE
AND EXCITE SPECIAL NERVE CELLS

92
00:06:43,535 --> 00:06:45,371
IN THE SEXUAL AREAS
THROUGHOUT THE BODY.

93
00:06:49,107 --> 00:06:54,180
THE SKIN, TOO, IS PART
OF THE SILENT LANGUAGE.

94
00:06:54,246 --> 00:06:57,983
IT IS AMAZINGLY SENSITIVE
AND RESPONSIVE TO THE TOUCH.

95
00:07:01,787 --> 00:07:05,056
IT CONTAINS MILLIONS
OF THESE SENSORY RECEPTORS

96
00:07:05,124 --> 00:07:07,226
WHICH WHEN STIMULATED

97
00:07:07,293 --> 00:07:10,596
DIRECT MESSAGES
OF SEXUAL AROUSAL TO THE BRAIN.
98
00:07:10,662 --> 00:07:13,166
MANY OF THESE ARE CONCENTRATED

99
00:07:13,232 --> 00:07:17,035
IN THE BODY'S MOST RESPONSIVE
AREAS: THE EROGENOUS ZONES.

100
00:07:17,102 --> 00:07:19,537
ONE OF THESE, THE MAN'S PENIS

101
00:07:19,605 --> 00:07:22,808
IS DENSELY PACKED
WITH SENSORY RECEPTORS--

102
00:07:22,875 --> 00:07:25,845
HERE SEEN AT
ENORMOUS MAGNIFICATION.

103
00:07:25,911 --> 00:07:30,183
THEY RELAY MESSAGES OF
SEXUAL STIMULATION TO THE BRAIN

104
00:07:30,249 --> 00:07:33,118
WHICH TRIGGERS THE COMPLEX
SEQUENCE OF EVENTS

105
00:07:33,185 --> 00:07:36,022
LEADING UP TO EJACULATION.

106
00:07:36,088 --> 00:07:39,858
THE LENGTH OF THE PENIS IS
MADE UP OF MANY SMALL CAVITIES

107
00:07:39,925 --> 00:07:42,461
CALLED ERECTILE TISSUE.

108
00:07:42,528 --> 00:07:47,566
WHEN A MAN IS SEXUALLY AROUSED,
THE SIGNALS FROM THE BRAIN

109
00:07:47,632 --> 00:07:51,169
CAUSE THESE ERECTILE TISSUES
TO BECOME ENGORGED WITH BLOOD.
110
00:08:03,582 --> 00:08:08,053
AS WE CAN SEE IN THESE IMAGES
FROM THE THERMAL CAMERA

111
00:08:08,120 --> 00:08:11,958
THE SUDDEN FLOW OF BLOOD TO THE
PENIS RAISES ITS TEMPERATURE.

112
00:08:18,530 --> 00:08:20,965
THE MAN'S BLOOD PRESSURE,
HEARTBEAT

113
00:08:21,033 --> 00:08:24,903
AND RESPIRATION INCREASE.

114
00:08:24,970 --> 00:08:29,708
AND THE BLOOD CAUSES THE PENIS
TO BECOME ERECT AND ELONGATED

115
00:08:29,775 --> 00:08:33,278
SO THAT SPERM CAN BE MOST EASILY
DELIVERED TO THE WOMAN'S EGG.

116
00:08:37,049 --> 00:08:41,252
IN THE EPIDIDYMIS, THE HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS OF WAITING SPERM

117
00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:44,590
WHICH WILL SOON BE EXPELLED
FROM THE MAN'S BODY

118
00:08:44,657 --> 00:08:47,626
ACCUMULATE IN A MASS.

119
00:08:47,693 --> 00:08:50,863
AS SEXUAL AROUSAL
REACHES ITS PEAK

120
00:08:50,929 --> 00:08:55,065
THE ENTIRE MALE SEXUAL SYSTEM
MUST FUNCTION PERFECTLY

121
00:08:55,133 --> 00:08:56,802
FOR EJACULATION TO TAKE PLACE.
122
00:08:59,538 --> 00:09:04,343
COWPER'S GLAND...

123
00:09:04,377 --> 00:09:05,644
PROSTATE...

124
00:09:05,711 --> 00:09:08,447
SEMINAL VESICLES...

125
00:09:08,514 --> 00:09:10,148
AND EPIDIDYMIS.

126
00:09:17,590 --> 00:09:20,959
THIS IS THE ACTUAL JOURNEY
MADE BY THE SPERM.

127
00:09:21,026 --> 00:09:23,762
AT THE CLIMAX OF SEXUAL AROUSAL

128
00:09:23,829 --> 00:09:26,699
THE MAN'S NERVOUS
SYSTEM TRIGGERS

129
00:09:26,766 --> 00:09:29,568
RAPID INVOLUNTARY CONTRACTIONS
OF THE MUSCLES

130
00:09:29,634 --> 00:09:32,170
IN THE WALLS OF THE EPIDIDYMIS.

131
00:09:32,237 --> 00:09:36,808
THESE PROPEL THE SPERM
UP INTO THE MAN'S BODY

132
00:09:36,842 --> 00:09:40,846
ALONG THIS TUNNEL-LIKE TUBE,
THE VAS DEFERENS.

133
00:09:40,913 --> 00:09:44,516
THE SPERM THEMSELVES
TRAVEL THE DISTANCE--

134
00:09:44,583 --> 00:09:48,153
A LITTLE OVER 12 INCHES--
IN ONLY A FEW SECONDS.

135
00:09:54,759 --> 00:09:58,063
THE SEMINAL VESICLES
RELEASE NOURISHING FRUCTOSE

136
00:09:58,097 --> 00:10:00,465
WHICH BLENDS WITH THE SPERM
AS THEY PASS BY.

137
00:10:04,903 --> 00:10:07,072
THEY MIX WITH
THE PROSTATE FLUID.

138
00:10:11,177 --> 00:10:15,080
THE BLENDED SEMEN
APPROACHES THE URETHRA.

139
00:10:15,147 --> 00:10:19,318
ITS TOTAL VOLUME IS ACTUALLY
ABOUT ONE HALF A TEASPOON.

140
00:10:25,724 --> 00:10:28,561
THIS IS THE LAST LEG
OF THE JOURNEY.

141
00:10:33,866 --> 00:10:38,237
THE SEMEN CONTAINING THE SPERM
IS FORCED OUT THROUGH THE PENIS

142
00:10:38,303 --> 00:10:40,039
BY THE MAN'S
MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS.

143
00:10:46,645 --> 00:10:51,483
AND AT LAST, IT IS EJACULATED
INTO THE WOMAN'S VAGINA.

144
00:11:16,041 --> 00:11:19,144
AS THE SEMEN ENTERS
THE WOMAN'S BODY

145
00:11:19,211 --> 00:11:21,914
IT IMMEDIATELY SLOWS DOWN
AND COAGULATES.
146
00:11:37,530 --> 00:11:40,098
PERHAPS IT BECOMES THICKER

147
00:11:40,165 --> 00:11:44,803
TO ENSURE THAT MOST OF THE SPERM
STAY WITHIN THE VAGINA

148
00:11:44,870 --> 00:11:48,774
OR PERHAPS THE COAGULATION
IS A KIND OF DEFENSE

149
00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:54,479
FOR THE ENVIRONMENT IN
THE VAGINA IS EXTREMELY ACID.

150
00:11:54,546 --> 00:12:00,185
THE ACIDITY PROTECTS THE WOMAN
AGAINST BACTERIA AND INFECTIONS

151
00:12:00,251 --> 00:12:05,757
BUT IT IS ALSO DANGEROUSLY
INHOSPITABLE TO THE SPERM.

152
00:12:05,824 --> 00:12:09,828
NEARLY ONE-QUARTER OF THEM
WILL DIE ALMOST IMMEDIATELY.

153
00:12:17,102 --> 00:12:19,103
ABOUT 20 MINUTES
AFTER EJACULATION

154
00:12:19,171 --> 00:12:22,007
THE SEMEN BECOMES FLUID AGAIN.

155
00:12:22,073 --> 00:12:25,144
THE SURVIVING SPERM
BECOME VIGOROUSLY ACTIVE

156
00:12:25,211 --> 00:12:28,280
SWIMMING RAPIDLY AGAINST
THE DOWNWARD CURRENTS

157
00:12:28,346 --> 00:12:29,948
IN THE WOMAN'S BODY.
158
00:12:32,184 --> 00:12:34,353
THERE IS GREAT URGENCY

159
00:12:34,419 --> 00:12:38,691
FOR THE SPERM WILL REMAIN
VIABLE-- ABLE TO FERTILIZE--

160
00:12:38,757 --> 00:12:40,525
FOR ONLY 28 TO 48 HOURS.

161
00:12:48,467 --> 00:12:52,938
THIS IS THE SOUND MADE
BY THOUSANDS OF ACTIVE SPERM.

162
00:12:52,972 --> 00:12:58,077
(<i> rumbling</i> )

163
00:13:05,484 --> 00:13:09,188
THE SPERM'S GREAT ACTIVITY
HAS BUT ONE GOAL:

164
00:13:09,254 --> 00:13:12,324
TO FIND AND FERTILIZE THE EGG.

165
00:13:12,391 --> 00:13:16,795
THERE ARE SO MANY OF THEM
THAT SUCCESS MIGHT SEEM ASSURED

166
00:13:16,862 --> 00:13:19,363
BUT THE BARRIERS, TOO,
ARE NUMEROUS.

167
00:13:24,869 --> 00:13:27,572
THE HIGH PERCENTAGE
OF DEFECTIVE SPERM

168
00:13:27,639 --> 00:13:29,574
HAS ALREADY LOWERED THE ODDS.

169
00:13:37,816 --> 00:13:41,286
SO HAS THE VAGINA'S
HOSTILE, ACID ENVIRONMENT.

170
00:13:55,801 --> 00:13:59,838
AND THE WOMAN'S OWN DEFENSE
SYSTEM ATTACKS THE SPERM.

171
00:13:59,905 --> 00:14:03,409
THEY ARE UNWELCOME CELLS
FROM ANOTHER ORGANISM

172
00:14:03,475 --> 00:14:05,343
AND THEY ARE POTENTIAL ENEMIES.

173
00:14:07,913 --> 00:14:11,583
HER DEFENSE CELLS AGGRESSIVELY
PROTECT HER FROM THE INVADERS

174
00:14:11,650 --> 00:14:12,884
BY DESTROYING THEM.

175
00:14:27,099 --> 00:14:30,235
THE SPERM ARE PROGRAMMED
TO SEEK THE EGG

176
00:14:30,302 --> 00:14:33,105
BUT SOME OF THEM
TRY TO FERTILIZE

177
00:14:33,172 --> 00:14:35,807
THE FIRST ROUND OBJECT
THEY FIND--

178
00:14:35,874 --> 00:14:37,977
IN THIS CASE,
AN ORDINARY BODY CELL.

179
00:14:44,249 --> 00:14:46,551
STILL, IN SPITE OF THE OBSTACLES

180
00:14:46,585 --> 00:14:48,720
HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF SPERM

181
00:14:48,754 --> 00:14:51,323
MAKE THEIR WAY
UP THROUGH THE VAGINA

182
00:14:51,390 --> 00:14:54,360
TO THE CERVIX--
THE MOUTH OF THE UTERUS--

183
00:14:54,426 --> 00:14:56,829
WHICH WILL LEAD TO
THE FALLOPIAN TUBES AND THE EGG.

184
00:15:10,108 --> 00:15:13,678
THE CERVIX SECRETES STRANDS
OF A SPECIAL FLUID PROTEIN

185
00:15:13,745 --> 00:15:15,748
CALLED MUCIN.

186
00:15:17,782 --> 00:15:20,819
DURING OVULATION,
IT IS VERY LIQUID

187
00:15:20,853 --> 00:15:23,287
AND EASY FOR THE SPERM
TO SWIM IN.

188
00:15:30,295 --> 00:15:33,766
THE STRANDS OF MUCIN
PROVIDE TINY CHANNELS

189
00:15:33,832 --> 00:15:37,369
LESS THAN 1/100th
OF A MILLIMETER WIDE

190
00:15:37,435 --> 00:15:40,505
DIRECTING THE SPERM
CLOSER TO THEIR OBJECTIVE.

191
00:15:45,477 --> 00:15:49,180
BUT MANY OF THEM NEVER FIND
THE STRANDS OF MUCIN

192
00:15:49,247 --> 00:15:51,583
AND THEY WILL DIE
IN THE VAGINA.

193
00:15:54,118 --> 00:15:56,555
THOSE THAT SURVIVE

194
00:15:56,621 --> 00:15:59,223
WILL SWIM UP THE MUCIN CHANNELS
TOWARD THE UTERUS.

195
00:16:01,393 --> 00:16:03,328
THEY SWIM IN DENSE BUNCHES.

196
00:16:05,497 --> 00:16:08,466
THE OUTER ONES
MAY PROTECT THE INNER ONES

197
00:16:08,533 --> 00:16:11,069
FROM THE WOMAN'S ACIDITY
AND DEFENSE SYSTEMS.

198
00:16:17,075 --> 00:16:19,477
ONCE INSIDE THE CERVIX

199
00:16:19,544 --> 00:16:22,747
THE SPERM CONTINUE
ON THEIR JOURNEY.

200
00:16:22,815 --> 00:16:25,283
SOME REMAIN HERE

201
00:16:25,350 --> 00:16:27,786
PERHAPS TO PROVIDE A BACKUP
FOR THOSE THAT CONTINUE ON.

202
00:16:32,657 --> 00:16:36,528
THE REST PROCEED UP
THROUGH THE CAVITY OF THE UTERUS

203
00:16:36,595 --> 00:16:37,762
IN SEARCH OF THE EGG.

204
00:16:47,505 --> 00:16:51,209
THEIR NUMBER IS
NOTICEABLY REDUCED.

205
00:17:01,920 --> 00:17:04,822
HERE, FROM INSIDE THE UTERUS

206
00:17:04,888 --> 00:17:07,692
WE SEE THE OPENINGS
TO THE TWO FALLOPIAN TUBES.
207
00:17:12,964 --> 00:17:15,700
THE SPERM SWIM TOWARD THEM.

208
00:17:20,137 --> 00:17:24,842
ONE LEADS TO THE WAITING EGG...

209
00:17:24,910 --> 00:17:27,946
THE OTHER TO AN EMPTY TUBE.

210
00:17:33,118 --> 00:17:36,154
ONLY HALF OF THE FEW
REMAINING SPERM

211
00:17:36,221 --> 00:17:39,158
WILL SWIM UP THE TUBE
WHICH HOLDS THE EGG.

212
00:18:00,945 --> 00:18:04,649
THE TUBES ARE LINED
WITH MILLIONS OF TINY CILIA--

213
00:18:04,716 --> 00:18:07,685
THE SAME CILIA WHICH
HELPED DRAW THE EGG

214
00:18:07,752 --> 00:18:10,956
FROM THE OVARY TOWARD THE UTERUS
AT OVULATION.

215
00:18:11,022 --> 00:18:13,258
THESE CILIA SWAY CONSTANTLY

216
00:18:13,325 --> 00:18:16,095
CREATING A GENTLE
DOWNWARD CURRENT

217
00:18:16,161 --> 00:18:18,930
THAT THE SPERM
MUST SWIM AGAINST.

218
00:18:29,608 --> 00:18:31,777
SOME SPERM GET STUCK

219
00:18:31,843 --> 00:18:34,546
IN AMONG THE CELLS
LINING THE WALLS OF THE TUBE.

220
00:18:38,383 --> 00:18:41,186
OTHERS LOSE THEIR
SENSE OF DIRECTION.

221
00:18:49,094 --> 00:18:52,330
DURING THIS PART OF
THE SPERM'S JOURNEY

222
00:18:52,397 --> 00:18:56,634
THE LAYER OF ENZYME INHIBITORS
AT THE TIPS OF THEIR HEADS

223
00:18:56,701 --> 00:19:00,438
IS SLOWLY BEING WORN AWAY.

224
00:19:00,505 --> 00:19:04,609
THE SPERM ARE FULLY CAPACITATED
AND ABLE TO FERTILIZE THE EGG

225
00:19:04,676 --> 00:19:06,610
IF THEY EVER ENCOUNTER IT.

226
00:19:19,957 --> 00:19:25,196
OF THE 200 MILLION SPERM
THAT BEGIN THIS LONG JOURNEY

227
00:19:25,263 --> 00:19:27,799
ONLY ABOUT 50
EVER REACH THE EGG.

228
00:19:32,971 --> 00:19:37,643
THE EGG IS SURROUNDED BY TWO
LAYERS OF THE NUTRITIVE CELLS

229
00:19:37,709 --> 00:19:41,346
WHICH HAVE NOURISHED IT ON ITS
JOURNEY IN THE FALLOPIAN TUBE.

230
00:19:45,050 --> 00:19:48,653
THE SPERM IMMEDIATELY RELEASE
THEIR DIGESTIVE ENZYMES
231
00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,657
TO BREAK THROUGH THESE
PROTECTIVE NUTRITIVE LAYERS

232
00:19:52,724 --> 00:19:54,860
IN ORDER TO REACH
THE EGG ITSELF.

233
00:19:58,163 --> 00:20:02,200
AT BEST, ONLY ONE
WILL EVENTUALLY ENTER

234
00:20:02,267 --> 00:20:04,268
AND FERTILIZE THE EGG.

235
00:20:10,375 --> 00:20:13,611
THE JOINT FORCE
OF THEIR EXERTIONS

236
00:20:13,645 --> 00:20:16,715
STARTS THE EGG ROLLING AROUND

237
00:20:16,781 --> 00:20:18,983
LIKE A MYSTERIOUS
CELESTIAL BODY.