The fate of mankind is looking a little precarious right now.
According to Dr. Shanna Swan, an environmental and reproductive epidemiologist at Mount Sinai in New York, pollution is not just destroying our planet—it's disrupting fertility in men.
In Swan's new book Count Down, in which she details the increasing infertility of humanity, the doctor claims that pollution's effects on the human body are affecting even reproductive health, particularly in men. Swan says that PFAS is to blame. Most plastic products contain PFAS, also known as "forever chemicals," which never breakdown, whether in nature or the human body. Instead, these chemicals simply build up and do damage where they can, which, in this case, is the human body.
Before men are even born, pollution is already affecting them-by shrinking penis size. According to Swan's research, male fetuses that were exposed to phthalates, chemicals found in plastic or toys, while in the womb were more likely to develop smaller penises and, in some cases, malformed penises.
If that wasn't enough, Swan's research found that pollution is also drastically affecting sperm production as PFAS can disrupt male hormones, reduce semen quality, testicular volume, and penile length. One study in 2017 found that the sperm levels in men from Western countries had dropped by 50% in 40 years.
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Female fertility is not spared from pollution either. According to Swan, "the average twentysomething woman today is less fertile than her grandmother was at 35." But fertility is only half of the problem. The scientist's research has found that even libido has been affected by pollution, causing decreased sexual desires, meaning not as many people are willing to do the deed in the first place.
According to Swan, the chemicals in question are not rare plastic particles. These are BPA, phthalate, parabens, atrazine, and all sorts of chemicals commonly found in plastic, toothpaste, shampoo, canned food, and even ATM receipts.
"The current state of reproductive affairs can't continue much longer without threatening human survival. It's a global existential crisis," says Swan.
At this rate, sperm count could reach zero by 2045, and when that happens, there's only one thing we can rely on then: Immaculate Conception. Ready your rosaries, folks.
