5 ms·
People offering human-centric explanations like cell phones: Note also that the sperm quality of dogs has decreased 30% since 1988. https://elpais.com/elpais/2
by simonsarris 9y ago
People offering human-centric explanations like cell phones: Note also that the sperm quality of dogs has decreased 30% since 1988.
https://elpais.com/elpais/2016/08/09/ciencia/1470755907_243246.html?rel=mas https://elpais.com/elpais/2016/08/09/ciencia/1470755907_2432...
https://www.nature.com/articles/srep31281 https://www.nature.com/articles/srep31281
This suggests its more environmental, chemical, diet-based, etc.
- themodelplumber 9y agoI dunno. Just on the face of what you're saying, it's probably worth pointing out that dogs also spend a lot of time around devices used by humans. So what about e.g. wild dogs?
- Passthepeas 9y agolaptops can make your balls overheat and cause problems, I remember that being an actual problem.
- jermaustin1 9y agoDo people actually put laptops in their laps? My 12" ultra-portable sits on my desk at home/office. When commuting if I'm using it, it will sit on my backpack on my lap. My 17" laptop that is heavier than my desktop, stays on the kitchen table.
- jghn 9y agoMine is currently right on top of my bits & pieces, so yes?
- rubicon33 9y agoYes, people do. I use my laptop on the couch all the time.
- manmal 9y agoYou should use a cushion or wood tablet in that case, e.g. Ikea has them for a couple bucks.
- magic_beans 9y agoYou never take your laptop to the couch?
- jermaustin1 9y agoSure, but if I'm on the couch, I use a throw pillow.
- Chris2048 9y agoMy dog won't use a laptop
- tj-teej 9y agoYeah, they're traditionally Mobile
- Passthepeas 9y agoDogs often mimic the lifestyles of their owner, therefore building off of rsync's comment it would suggest that could also be linked to rising obesity rates. Although chemical and environmental causes likely also play a factor. I'm thinking along the lines of "all of the above"; poor health regardless of what causes it will lead to lowered fertility
- Raphmedia 9y agoPerhaps global warming could play a role. It affects reptiles a lot (limiting fertility, making it so that there are more females than males, turning males into females, etc.)
- DanAndersen 9y agoFrom the article: >In contrast, no significant decline was seen in South America, Asia and Africa. Presumably on average these regions are also seeing similar temperature increases. I'd think that whatever the cause is, it's not something that is affecting people on a global scale. Also, temperature-dependent sex determination is only seen in a few species, and not in mammals as far as I know: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature-dependent_sex_determination https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temperature-dependent_sex_dete...
- yomly 9y agoBut aren't there human inhabited parts of the world which are warmer than the western world...
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- 52-6F-62 9y agoTo expand upon diet-based -- how about food preservatives from processed foods. For example: Propyl parahydroxybenzoate[0][1] [0] https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Propyl_4-hydroxybenzoate https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Propyl_4-hydroxybe... [1] The dirt: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12419695 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12419695