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Atrazine is an herbicide marketed by agribusiness company Syngenta. It has been shown to "chemically castrate" frogs, turning males into females that are capable of rearing offspring; it is associated with birth defects, low birth weights, and menstrual problems in humans; and its use has been outright banned by the European Union. More »
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Researchers who synthesized an artificial sex pheromone have just discovered that it's most useful application so far is . . . killing cockroaches? More »
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New research links contraceptive pills to an increased rate of prostate cancer. Don't worry: you haven't been taking it wrong all these years. There's a body of research that links prostate cancer to increased exposure to estrogen, and it's possible that widespread use of the Pill could cause an uptick of the hormone in the environment. The logic is that the estrogen is passed into the sewage system through urine, where it makes its way into the water cycle and the food chain. From there people are exposed to it, and hence the problem. More »
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Becoming a parent means making a lot of sacrifices in your life, from giving up sleep to giving up your paycheck. But new research shows that if you're becoming a dad, you should also be prepared to give up some testosterone — but don't worry, it's all so you can better provide for your child. More »
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We're all familiar with the power that hormones have over behavior and mood, but did you know that sex and stress hormones can affect how we recall past events? Now, a recently published study has shed light on the memory-altering effects of one of the most widely used hormone-regulating drugs in the world: birth control. More »
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Late last year, a British hen named Gertie stopped laying eggs. She then started crowing like a rooster, and suddenly her entire appearance seemed to morph into a male. So just what is going on here? More »
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The ratio of length between a man's second and fourth fingers (2D:4D) is thought to be linked to the amount of testosterone he received in the womb. According to new research, it also shows something else: How attractive a man's face will be to women. More »
]]> http://io9.com/index.php?op=postcommentfeed&postId=5794008&view=rss&microfeed=true For gentlemen only: Your fertility may be dictated by your skeleton. New research in mice has shown that there's a very strong link between the bone hormone osteocalcin, and the production of testosterone. Male mice with low levels of osteocalcin had small and infrequent litters compared to those with higher amounts of the hormone (lower testosterone levels lead to lower sperm counts). If the relationship holds true in humans, it's thought that this could lead to a new generation of drugs to help combat poorly understood male infertility problems. More »
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When nerds pledge our undying devotion, we do it with a bit more style. Two recent geek weddings brought the geek love: One with Star Wars-themed wedding bands, and one with a study of oxytocin levels among the guests. More »
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If you voted for John McCain in last year's election, you may have felt a twinge of disappointment when Barack Obama took the stage. If you're male, that twinge was more than political disagreement; Obama may have lowered your testosterone. More »
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When you ingest a stomach hormone called ghrelin it causes your brain to respond to food the way junkies respond to drugs. You are filled with an intense desire for it, and eating it becomes far more memorable. Researchers at Montreal's McGill University studied people's reactions to food after they had ingested ghrelin, and discovered that it made them crave whatever food they were shown in pictures — even if they had just eaten. Drugs that tamper with ghrelin are just around the corner. More »
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American Gladiators returned to the airwaves this season, bringing us one step closer to reality television featuring amped up posthumans beating the ever-loving crap out of normal folks with real weapons. While the Gladiators are using padded Nerf-esque weapons now, we can only hope that later they'll be given bladed weapons and clubs to attract more viewers. Yesterday NBC announced that they've been testing all of the gladiators for steroid usage. Why are they persecuting these innocent pharmaceutical cyborgs, who are only trying to evolve? More »
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Hormones are the new recreational drugs, helping you maintain that zippy youthful feeling even into your 60s and letting you grow cool secondary sex characteristics your own hormones won't. For those reasons, estrogen is one of the hottest black market hormones. Menopausal women and transsexuals denied estrogen therapy by doctors are buying it from shady operators who make roll-your-own mixes of the hormone and don't warn about the side-effects of estrogen supplements (such as blood clots, stroke, and migraines). Now the FDA is pushing pharmacies to stop carrying the drugs, often called "bioidentical hormone replacement therapy," and trying to prevent Web sites from selling them. [PhysOrg] More »
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