← all papers · environmental exposure (17) Science journalism, not medical advice.
- Radiation Snaps the Hinge That Makes Sperm Swim2026-05-27
Synchrotron imaging in irradiated mice reveals the sperm annulus — a structural ring — as the primary fracture point after ionizing radiation exposure
Annulus Fracture Underlies Radiation-Induced Sperm Dysfunction Revealed by Multimodal Nano-Imaging animal study male infertility spermatogenesis environmental exposure semen quality
- Plastic in Every Kidney Stone Tested2026-05-19
Microplastics found in 100% of kidney stone samples tested, median 12.89 μg/g, with six distinct polymer types identified
Multimodal Detection of Microplastics in Human Kidney Stones and Multi-Omics Exploration of Renal Cell Metaflammation kidney stones environmental exposure oxidative stress inflammation
- Plastic Chemicals May Rewrite Fertility Across Generations2026-05-08
A narrative review argues BPA harms male fertility via gut dysbiosis and epigenetic marks — but admits the transgenerational evidence is provisional at best
Transgenerational Exposure to Plastics-Derived Endocrine-Disrupting Bisphenol A and Its Analogs on Male Infertility: Impact of Gut Dysbiosis and Epigenetic Regulation environmental exposure epigenetics male infertility narrative review spermatogenesis gut microbiome
- Central Asia's Male Infertility Problem Is Getting Worse2026-04-06
Male infertility prevalence rose in 4 of 5 Central Asian countries over 32 years; incidence climbed in all five
Long-Term Epidemiological Trends and Regional Disparities in Male Infertility in Central Asia (1991-2023) male infertility health services epidemiology environmental exposure
- Female Fetal Ligaments Aren't Hormonally Passive2026-04-05
In first-trimester human fetuses, caudal genital ligaments in both sexes express receptors for androgens, estrogens, and INSL3 — the "passive female default" model doesn't hold in humans
Receptivity of the Human Male and Female Fetal Caudal Genital Ligament to Gonadal Hormones cryptorchidism pediatric urology environmental exposure pregnancy genomics
- A Body Measurement Tracks Hypospadias Severity2026-03-21
Boys with hypospadias have shorter anogenital distance (SMD −1.24), with the gap widening as severity increases across 6,905 infants
Association Between Anogenital Distance and Hypospadias: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis hypospadias meta-analysis pediatric urology biomarkers environmental exposure
- Combat Didn't Raise Cancer Risk. Infantry Did.2026-03-15
Infantry soldiers had twice the adjusted testicular cancer risk of other Army occupations — but combat deployment showed no association
Factors Associated With Testicular Cancer Risk Among New American Military Recruits During Wartime testicular cancer environmental exposure health services survivorship
- Why Is One-Third of Male Infertility Unexplained?2026-03-14
Male infertility causes 20–30% of all infertility cases globally, yet 30–40% of cases have no identified cause
Epidemiology, Etiopathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Male Infertility — Current Trends and Future Directions: A Narrative Review male infertility epigenetics environmental exposure biomarkers
- Welding May Triple Testicular Cancer Risk — But the Data Is Thin2026-03-14
Regular welders had a non-significant 2× elevated testicular cancer risk; non-seminoma risk tripled, but rests on very few cases
Risk of Testicular Cancer and Exposure to Welding Fumes testicular cancer environmental exposure occupational exposure case-control study
- Plastics at Birth, Testicular Cancer Later?2026-03-03
Newborn blood spots show phthalate mixtures at birth may predict testicular cancer decades later
Phthalates measured at birth and risk of testicular cancer in adolescents and young adults. testicular cancer environmental exposure
- Lead Ages Immune Cells. Those Cells Tank Your Sperm.2026-02-27
A 170-man study linked urinary lead and cadmium to lower sperm motility; mouse work traced the mechanism to senescent immune cells in the epididymis.
Epididymal Macrophage Senescence Contributes to Sperm Motility Decrease upon Environmental Stress male infertility environmental exposure immunology animal study cross-sectional semen quality
- Diet Sweeteners Flag a Fertility Gene — In Mouse Cells2026-02-17
Computational screening flagged aspartame, neotame, and sucralose as reproductive toxins targeting FGFR1; validated only in mouse Leydig cells in a dish
Artificial sweeteners and male infertility: Network toxicology and experimental evidence reveal FGFR1 as the critical target. male infertility environmental exposure animal study spermatogenesis
- More Soy, Fewer Sperm? Japanese Data Stirs the Debate2026-01-13
Men in the top daidzein quartile had 32–40% lower sperm counts than lowest-quartile men — but this is cross-sectional data from a fertility clinic.
Urinary Isoflavone Concentrations and Semen Parameters of Japanese Men Seeking Fertility Treatment male infertility semen quality environmental exposure cross-sectional epidemiology
- 67 Sperm Risk Factors, Almost All Weak Evidence2026-01-13
67 risk factors linked to male infertility catalogued — but 78% of the underlying evidence rated low or very low quality
Current Risk Factors for Male Infertility and Semen Parameters: An Umbrella Review of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses male infertility semen quality evidence quality environmental exposure systematic review meta-analysis
- Microplastics Rival Chemo for Sperm Damage in Rats2025-12-05
Network meta-analysis of 201 rodent studies ranks microplastics alongside chemotherapy drugs for reproductive toxicity, with sperm counts dropping to ~19 million/mL
Quantitative Analysis and Toxicological Mechanisms of Various Male Infertility Inducers: A Network Meta-Analysis and Pharmacological Approach male infertility meta-analysis environmental exposure semen quality
- The Test Your Fertility Clinic Isn't Running2025-12-03
A narrative review arguing that histone modifications in sperm—disrupted by toxicants and lifestyle—may explain a large share of "unexplained" infertility cases.
Epigenetic Dysregulation in Idiopathic Male Infertility: The Role of Aberrant Histone Post-Translational Modifications epigenetics male infertility environmental exposure oxidative stress spermatogenesis
- Herbal Skin Patch Protects Rat Sperm from Plasticizer2025-11-28
In rats exposed to DEHP plasticizer, icariin microneedle patches reduced testicular damage and outperformed oral icariin — in rats
Transdermal Delivery of Icariin via Microneedle Patches Attenuates Phthalate-Induced Testicular Injury animal study male infertility traditional chinese medicine environmental exposure