Better Living Through Science

In reading the Tuesday, March 2, 2010 edition of the USA Today on page 3A there was an article titled "Weedkiller alters frogs in research." This article chronicles the impact of a commonly used herbicide on the natural environment. The presence of this chemical, atrazine, is identified as the cause of sex/gender confusion and changes among frogs.

The result of exposure to atrazine at levels commonly found in tap water is reported to have caused male frogs to experience sexual dysfunction. This included male frogs to have testosterone and sperm levels so low that they were unable to produce. It also caused male frogs to change gender to female with some able to breed and lay eggs.

This is 'deep' because it created a physiological change in the biology of the frog. While frogs are much less complex than humans in their biology, we see changes in human physiology that mimics similar disruptions. While not identified in the article the culprit was most probably "endocrine disruptor" that are estrogen mimickers.

What does this mean? There have been reports of chlororganic compounds in the environment from both plastics and insecticides and herbicides. These chemicals disrupt the human (as well as other lifeforms as evidenced by the frog study) endocrine system by mimicking estrogen. Evidence of this has been attributed to precocious puberty in males and females by a fringe element of the medical community.

Can we take the chance of making an error where we neglect to take action until the problem is indisputable. Because that does not help us prevent a problem. In fact, it ensures the presence of a problem. This is exactly the reigning scientific paradigm in the U.S. because the chemical, atrazine, has already been banned in Europe.

We are a crazy drug crazed people whether we like it or not.





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