Another TV Program Review: "The Disappearing Male"

When the CBC gets depressed (for example, when there is no hockey...) they present some rather excellent documentaries. One of these is shown as a regular program, the Doc Zone. We recently viddied an excellent episode, "The Disappearing Male". This episode scared the fertilizer out of us - figuratively. Warning: CBC Television gets very "European" at times. During this episode, you will viddy several infant male genitalia and non-human (alligator) genitalia. But, this is done in an expository, scientific and responsible way. The CBC does not even warn you that you might find some of their televised content objectionable. Please get parental or guardian permission (if you are 18 or under) if you choose to viddy any of The Doc Zone programs, excellent though they are. That said, this episode is not to be missed.

The title is a perfect match for the main theme(s) of the episode. Males, human and non-human, appear to be shrinking in genitalia, sexual features and, as a consequence, populations. Take the case of the little town of Aamjiwnaang near Sarnia, Canada and across the river border from Marysville, Michigan. The local population there has difficulty producing male (human) offspring. Girls are almost exclusively produced. The parents and populace are very concerned, as they want, of course, some male children. They and the episode producers pointed out that they are virtually next door to a giant petrochemical plant complex - unnamed in the episode.

The main product or products of this complex appears to be bisphenol A and phthalate plasticizers, or so we are led to believe. According to the testimony given in many of the scientist interviews, BPA and phthalates are becoming present in the environment in sufficient quantities to interfere with normal biological reproduction. That is, these good people are making scientific connections between the presence of these things in the environment and the degradation of reproductive health. It seems that these things are affecting adult male productivity and is appearing as a cause of diminised male births and male genitalia - perhaps in all species. The town of Aamjiwnaang recently hosted a scientific conference on the subject. At least some of the scientists viewed what is happening there as "the first sign of extinction". Specifically, extinction of Homo sapiens. (Warning: the Wikipedia has posted the depiction of two nude humans from the Pioneer Plaque - OK, so we might be getting a little carried away).

The biologist interviewed in Florida is investigating the reproductive health and apparatus of (male - we assume he is by nature studying females as well) of the alligator. The size of the male genitalia was shown (like we said...) to be reduced in size. And to the scientists, yes, size does matter. It matters in the reproductive process. The alligators are not going to be able to reproduce if the genitalia size keeps reducing... Translation: potential extinction.

Parents of mostly female children were interviewed. One of the male parents was embarrassed to report that his sperm count is low and so is the motility. Translation: heterosexual couples with this medical/biological condition may not be able to produce male offspring. No sons. No males. No reproduction. You can see where this is going.

Further, the scientists report that the standard for sperm counts has been reduced. It used to be that the average human male had about 60 million per milliliter (or some such amount, we're going from memory here). The current and reduced standard is something like 10 million. We were told that whatever the reduced standard is now, it is a potential threat to human reproduction.

Not to dispute the findings reported, Wolfram Alpha calculated the human population for 3084 to be around 20 to 21 trillion. We wish the producers had thrown in some rough calculations for the population explosion or implosion, whichever the case might be... Is Malthus wrong?

For Friday, January 2, 2009

Great Barrier Reef, Cairns, Australia image licensed under Creative Commons by Leonard Low

A 4-D View Of Fido In The Womb

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/01/02/earlyshow/main4695970.shtml

Deciphering Dolphin Language With Picture Words

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081231005531.htm

Study: Hawaii's pygmy killer whales stay close

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28464492/

Feresa attenuata

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pygmy_killer_whale

Coral reef growth is slowest ever

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7807943.stm

Great Barrier Reef coral in crisis

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28436388/

'Ghost-like' white stag spotted

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/highlands_and_islands/7238534.stm

Escaped beaver fells river trees

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/7805128.stm

US alligator found far from home

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7805080.stm

Killer Mice Bring Albatross Population Closer To Extinction

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081228192127.htm

Diomedea dabbenena

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tristan_albatross

New Park Protects Penguins And Other Marine Life In Argentina

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090101090053.htm

How The Spider Spun Its Web: ‘Missing Link’ In Spider Evolution Discovered

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081231130944.htm

Sharks have wimpy bites, study finds

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre4bt55v-us-sharks-bite/

Origin Of Species In Oceans Challenged

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081231175357.htm

Aquaculture's Growth Seen As Continuing

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090102082248.htm

Plants 'more important than ever'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/7805804.stm

New Winter Wheat Ready For Prime Time

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090101085340.htm

Across The Americas, Squash And Gourd Bees Are Superb Pollinators

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090101085030.htm

China finds major dinosaur site

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7806062.stm

Bacteria In Ice May Record Climate Change

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081231131813.htm

Six North American Sites Hold 12,900-year-old Nanodiamond-rich Soil

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090101172136.htm

Diamonds linked to N. America comet explosion

Arctic target of international tug-of-war

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/01/02/arctic.rights.dispute/index.html

China dairies offer text apology

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7807637.stm

Chinese police detain tainted milk activist

http://www.cbc.ca/consumer/story/2009/01/02/china-milk.html

Antibiotics before infections save lives: study

http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre4bu4qu-us-antibiotics-treatment/

Fosamax Side Effect Reports Scare Patients

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ActiveAging/story?id=6558069&page=1

Alendronic acid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fosamax

Celgene warns that anticlot drug linked to deaths

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081231/ap_on_bi_ge/celgene_drug_warning;_ylt=ApIpr4TEqsEiMahUGuuAUsGs0NUE

Cold med ingredient may treat prostate cancer

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28470061/

Noscapine

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noscapine

Evidence of 'risk-taking' brain

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7802751.stm

Preemies at risk for mental disorders as teens

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28469753/

FDA recalls chemical agent used in eye surgery

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/28470009/

AMO says FDA approves surgical agent Healon D

http://ibtimes.com/articles/20081007/amo-says-fda-approves-surgical-agent-healon-d.htm

'Bug' could combat dengue fever

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7804326.stm

Dengue fever

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dengue_fever

Grape-seed Extract Kills Laboratory Leukemia Cells, Proving Value Of Natural Compounds

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081231005257.htm

Put diet on hold to avoid the flu, says study

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7807848.stm

Toxicity Mechanism Identified For Parkinson's Disease

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/01/090101172138.htm

Structure Of New Botulism Nerve Toxin Subtype Revealed

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081222163049.htm

Botulinum toxin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Botulism_toxin

Link To Severe Staph Infections Found

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081223172709.htm

High-fat Diet Can Disrupt Our Biological Clock

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081228191054.htm

From Rare Bugs To Test Tube Drugs

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081231131521.htm

Device keeps donor organs fresher

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7805894.stm

Antifreezes Preserve Organs For Transplants

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/12/081222081214.htm

For Saturday, October 18, 2008

Alligator image licensed under Creative Commons by Pandiyan

Mass Production Of Stem Cells From A Hair

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081017164917.htm

Stem cell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stem_cell

RNA-based computers could check on cells

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27242794/

When Under Attack, Plants Can Signal Microbial Friends For Help

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/10/081017150732.htm

Hydroxybutanedioic acid

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malic_acid

Soil Chemists Plant Ferns to Soak Up Backyard Poisons

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2005/0804-danger_in_your_backyard.htm

Chemistry Provides Solution To Plug Pores In Teeth

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/2007/0609-soothing_sensitive_teeth.htm

NovaMin Technology, Inc's website

http://www.novamin.com/

Brain signals predict weight gain

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7674096.stm

Thousands Sign Up to Kill Gators

http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=6058698&page=1

Alligator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator

African chimps decline 'alarming'

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7673914.stm

Pan

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_(biology)

Lily Tomlin wants Dallas elephant relocated

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081018/ap_on_re_us/elephant_fight;_ylt=Am8.gzdHa.NeoFpxoA1WwugPLBIF

Rare white lions released to wild

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27245016/

Panthera leo

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion

Dying Lawyer's Son, Clintons Beg Biogen to Use Drug

http://news.yahoo.com/s/bloomberg/20081015/pl_bloomberg/ajfbhskp9kae;_ylt=ArpZ8KalhX8Q6pk7qoyrBggPLBIF

Tysabri Natalizumab

http://www.tysabri.com/

China takes blame in milk scandal

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7677529.stm

Cookies recalled due to possible melamine

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27244985/

Tainted milk takes big toll on rural Chinese

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27243430/

2008 China Milk Scandal - Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2008_Chinese_milk_scandal

Italy aims for carbon-neutral farm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7669522.stm

Carbon neutral

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_neutral

South's dry spell travels north

http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/weather/10/18/drought.woes.ap/index.html

EPA slashes lead limit in air by 90 percent

http://www.cnn.com/2008/HEALTH/10/16/epa.lead.air.standard.ap/index.html

Flu Season Hits: 7 States Report Outbreaks

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6058186&page=1

Outrage Over N.J.'s Mandatory Flu Shots

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ColdandFluNews/story?id=6051917&page=1

How to vacuum clean a horse

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7670715.stm

For Tuesday, April 22, 2008 - Earth Day

Doormouse photo licensed under Creative Commons by yeimaya

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Day

Earth Day - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/Earth-Day/ss/events/sc/042108earthday

Earth Day - Yahoo! News Photos


Please note: some of the hyperlinks in italics send you to pages about species and other information. Many of these links are wikilinks. We would use EOL links, but they have not finished authenticating information on some of these species.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7354547.stm

BBC NEWS UK Magazine A dog that's not for life






BBC NEWS Asia-Pacific S Korea trains sniffer-dog clones










Mice Can Sense Oxygen Through Their Skin



Mus Maximus and Mus Minimus



Want To Reduce Your Food-related Carbon Footprint? What You Eat Is More Important Than Where It Came From

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_footprint

Carbon footprint - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Many Captive Tigers Are Of Purebred Ancestry; Finding Raises Their Conservation Value





http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/04/080419020546.htm

World's Rarest Gorilla Finds Sanctuary

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_River_Gorilla

Gorilla gorilla diehli







http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24254754/

Woman finds 8-foot alligator in kitchen - Animal weirdness- msnbc.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alligator

Alligator mississippiensis







http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/24245803/

Hawking: Alien but primitive life likely - Space- msnbc.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Hawking

Stephen Hawking - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia




http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/04/21/conservatory.lynx.ap/index.html

New Mexico fights to protect the lynx - CNN.com

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynx

Lynx - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia