In a dry environment, sperm can only survive for about 30 minutes to an hour. Yep, it's a tough life for these little swimmers! But, if they're in a protective fluid, like semen or cervical mucus, they can live for several days.
Now, you might be wondering, what exactly happens to sperm when they're outside the body? Well, they start to lose their motility and eventually become inactive. It's like they're saying, "Hey, I'm outta here, I need to find a new home, pronto!"
Here's a fun fact: sperm can even survive in a female's reproductive tract for up to 5 days. Yep, it's like they're on a mission to find that egg and make a baby! But, if they're not successful, they'll eventually die off and be absorbed by the body.