I was taught in science lessons at school that sperm are released and race each other until the fittest and fastest sperm wins and penetrates the egg; a retelling of the hero myth, essentially, with the egg as the passive vessel. In fact, we know now that this isn’t what happens at all. Sperm cells are immature when they arrive in the vagina. Then women’s oviduct cells secrete chemicals which mature the sperm and allow it to swim. Instead of the sperm poking the egg like a needle, the egg actually enfolds the sperm and the two cells melt into one.
