Meanwhile, mirroring this cutthroat competition to reach the final table first,US researchers using genetically engineered fruit flies with glowing sperm have tracked the seed"s progress inside the female, in real time.
By making the fly"s sperm glow green or red, researchers from Syracuse University are able to see previously unobservable events unfold.
Competition between sperm is a key component of sexual selection.
The researchers hope their findings will also offer new insights into human reproductive biology.
I am hoping that these 11 sperm find the final table egg soon, before one fertilises and wins the prize.