5 ms·

Microplastics detected in human testicles, troubling researchers

27 points by lxm 2y ago

deleted 2y ago
[deleted]
everdrive 2y ago
They're everywhere. But people keep buying and using, and discarding plastics simply out of convenience. It's the lead of our generation, and we'll all hostage to the broader decisions of the majority. I'm not anti-car, but it's easy to feel this way about people who are -- entire cities, communities, and mortality statistics upended by the convenience of automobiles. So it is for plastics, and any other majority preference.
- throwaway5959 2y ago
  How do you avoid using plastics?
  - onemoresoop 2y ago
    You can't 100% avoid its use but you can certainly mitigate it somewhat, hopeful that the density plays a role and having fewer microplastics is better than having more. But it's not too hard, just don't buy food that's covered in plastic packages (most junk food), use glassware and silverware more often, avoid plastic bottled drinks as much as possible whenever possible and so on.
    - autoexec 2y ago
      > just don't buy food that's covered in plastic packages (most junk food), That's "most food" period. Yes, people should look for alternatives where they exist, but don't expect to find many and don't expect them to be affordable to most people. Plastic is everywhere and the idea that we can solve this by voting with our wallets is a joke. People can't even be expected to know when their stuff is plastic. Most people have no idea that basically all of their clothes are made of plastics. I once asked someone if they wanted their coke in a bottle or a can and they said they wanted a can because they go out of their way to "never drink out of plastic". They were very upset to learn that plastic lines the inside of aluminum cans and they've still been drinking out of plastic containers the entire time. Less plastic is better than more plastic at least.
      - onemoresoop 2y ago
        I never said you can avoid it altogether, just mitigate exposure. Re-read my comment please
    - disqard 2y ago
      > just don't buy food that's covered in plastic packages. Canned food/ingredients are also in contact with the inner lining: "According to the Can Manufacturers Institute, today about 95 percent of food cans are made without BPA-based linings, using a variety of other coatings, or polymers. The trade group says linings are now typically made from non-BPA acrylic or polyester epoxies, or olefin polymers. But it’s unclear whether this vague list includes all alternatives in use – and more importantly, whether they’re safer than BPA." https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/bpa-update-tracking-canned-food-phaseout https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/bpa-update-tracking-c...
  - BizarroLand 2y ago
    They won't answer you because they wouldn't get to feel smugly superior if they did, because they should know that it is literally impossible to not use plastics right now, and has been since the 90's. Realistically, we should lobby for a total ban of single use non-biodegradable plastics worldwide, a tax on single use biodegradable plastics, and a superfund funded by that tax to clean up the world of plastics in every form possible. If we can get 80% of it dealt with then the rest would take care of itself.
    - everdrive 2y ago
      I'm sorry -- given the responses it's clear my comment didn't come across very well. What I was trying to convey is just what you're saying -- that wholly avoiding plastics is more or less impossible on the individual level, and broad societal preferences (cheap goods, easy manufacturing processes, high profits, etc) hold us hostage.
  - everdrive 2y ago
    There are some steps you can take to improve things, but avoiding them altogether seems impossible. I certainly didn't mean to imply that individuals could do much here. That is sort of the point: we're trapped by the bulk preferences of society. If no one made polyester clothing, no one would be able to buy any. It's the consumer preference for cheaper fabrics which have contributed in this case. Anyhow, no one can wholesale avoid plastic usage. (for instance, I'm typing this on a computer. Trying finding a computer without any plastics.) But, there are things you can do to at least improve things. Recycling: - Never, ever recycle plastics. Plastic recycling strongly contributes to microplastics due to the cleansing process. Plastic is also not like glass or metal, either. It's getting one more go-around before entering the landfill in any case. Clothing: - Avoid polyester fleece at all costs. - Avoid polyester as much as possible. - If you own polyester fabrics, wash them as little as possible. - Prioritize cotton, linen, or wool for all fabric purchases. Food: - Avoid anything heated or prepared in plastic, such as microwave meals, microwave popcorn, street food, etc. - Local farm share is an option for some. Driving: - Tire particles are the biggest contributor most don't think about. So, drive less, if you can.
  - helph67 2y ago
    Promote a return to the use of paper and cardboard packaging. They are/were manufactured from natural fibres (cellulose) which broke down naturally in water. Difference between plastic and paper? You could eat the latter and survive!
    - rolandog 2y ago
      Or, better yet, glass containers! (So you don't have to rely on PFAS-riddled or plastic-based coatings on cardboard packaging).
- MisterTea 2y ago
  > But people keep buying and using, and discarding plastics simply out of convenience. You say that as if it's easy.
  - everdrive 2y ago
    I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that people had easy other options. I didn't mean "preferences" in the individual choice sense of the word, but in the network effects sense of the word. In other words, even if people generally didn't want to buy food that comes in plastic containers, there are vanishingly few alternatives, and this is driven by market forces that individuals have no control over.
arketyp 2y ago
Honest question, why is the study of microplastics and its causes a recent thing? Are better instruments involved somehow? Plastics with their special properties have always been known to be "unnatural", even used as a synonym for that word, so one would think we would have kept an eye on them from the start.
- KboPAacDA3 2y ago
  It's the current trend in selling the fear of climate change caused by fossil fuels. People get desensitized to prior campaigns, like oil drilling, pipelines, gasoline cars, and plastic bottles in the ocean and straws in the rivers. Microplastics push the fact there's something foreign in your own body, and that's disgusting.
reify 2y ago
This is going to seriously impact the modern day dating scene. you are on the first date and the woman has three questions; can I just ask? "Have you been jabbed"? can I just ask? "Have you been checked for testicular microplastics"? can I just ask? "Do you have the certification to prove it"? She is rightly concerned about her future children. I certainly would not have a child with anyone who has been jabbed or has testicular microplastics.
- FloorEgg 2y ago
  Why?
  - BizarroLand 2y ago
    They are both stupid and paranoid. I call it Chicken Little Syndrome. They've convinced themselves that the sky is falling and start looking for any chunk of blue they can find to prove it.
    - autoexec 2y ago
      What kills me about people like this is that the world is full of legitimate problems that they could be worried about, but instead they put so much attention on things that are entirely fictional or don't matter in any way.
- choilive 2y ago
  Then I guess you'll never have children - the point of the study is it appears 100% of the male population has testicular microplastics. We know what the implications are so I wouldnt exclude 100% of the dating pool just yet, however your anti-vax statements is good enough for immediate exclusion anyways.
- rumblestrut 2y ago
  "I certainly would not have a child with anyone who has been jabbed" LOL, OK. "or has testicular microplastics." Again, LOL. They are everywhere.
- 2y ago
gnabgib 2y ago
Discussions [0](37 points, 5 days ago, 14 comments) [1](18 points,3 days ago, 5 comments) [2](37 points, 3 days ago, 3 comments) [3](23 points, 2 days ago, 31 comments) [4](39 points, 2 days ago, 24 comments) [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40403492 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40403492 [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40415982 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40415982 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40421787 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40421787 [3]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40427296 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40427296 [4]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40429247 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40429247
sharpshadow 2y ago
Would like to know if the microplastic is also in the ejaculate. If so then it could be removed that way from the testicles.
- ninininino 2y ago
  The microplastics are everywhere. In all tissue. In the brain, in the heart, in the food and water, floating in the air and household dust. Floating in the air outside, from the plastics in tires wearing away on the pavement. And yes, they are in the semen. So is the PFAS. And all the other shit that rich and old people don't give a fuck about spreading into everything.
  - autoexec 2y ago
    > And all the other shit that rich and old people don't give a fuck about spreading into everything. There have been zero consequences for poisoning the entire planet and everything living thing on it. It's profitable for companies to knowingly poison entire communities. Until there is real accountability for corporations that act like psychopaths and serial killers nothing will change.
  - sharpshadow 2y ago
    Yes clearly that’s what we found, but my question goes into the direction of getting out microplastics from the testicles through ejaculation. If microplastics are in the testicles then they are also in sperm and maybe through that it can be estimated how much there is in total. Also if there goes out a certain amount with the sperm then repeated ejaculation should drain the microplastics out of the testicles, at least until a certain amount. That way for example one could improve the quality of the sperm for a upcoming fertilisation.

27 points by lxm 2y ago

deleted 2y ago

[deleted]

They're everywhere. But people keep buying and using, and discarding plastics simply out of convenience. It's the lead of our generation, and we'll all hostage to the broader decisions of the majority. I'm not anti-car, but it's easy to feel this way about people who are -- entire cities, communities, and mortality statistics upended by the convenience of automobiles. So it is for plastics, and any other majority preference.

throwaway5959 2y ago
How do you avoid using plastics?
- onemoresoop 2y ago
  You can't 100% avoid its use but you can certainly mitigate it somewhat, hopeful that the density plays a role and having fewer microplastics is better than having more. But it's not too hard, just don't buy food that's covered in plastic packages (most junk food), use glassware and silverware more often, avoid plastic bottled drinks as much as possible whenever possible and so on.
  - autoexec 2y ago
    > just don't buy food that's covered in plastic packages (most junk food), That's "most food" period. Yes, people should look for alternatives where they exist, but don't expect to find many and don't expect them to be affordable to most people. Plastic is everywhere and the idea that we can solve this by voting with our wallets is a joke. People can't even be expected to know when their stuff is plastic. Most people have no idea that basically all of their clothes are made of plastics. I once asked someone if they wanted their coke in a bottle or a can and they said they wanted a can because they go out of their way to "never drink out of plastic". They were very upset to learn that plastic lines the inside of aluminum cans and they've still been drinking out of plastic containers the entire time. Less plastic is better than more plastic at least.
    - onemoresoop 2y ago
      I never said you can avoid it altogether, just mitigate exposure. Re-read my comment please
  - disqard 2y ago
    > just don't buy food that's covered in plastic packages. Canned food/ingredients are also in contact with the inner lining: "According to the Can Manufacturers Institute, today about 95 percent of food cans are made without BPA-based linings, using a variety of other coatings, or polymers. The trade group says linings are now typically made from non-BPA acrylic or polyester epoxies, or olefin polymers. But it’s unclear whether this vague list includes all alternatives in use – and more importantly, whether they’re safer than BPA." https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/bpa-update-tracking-canned-food-phaseout https://www.ewg.org/news-insights/news/bpa-update-tracking-c...
- BizarroLand 2y ago
  They won't answer you because they wouldn't get to feel smugly superior if they did, because they should know that it is literally impossible to not use plastics right now, and has been since the 90's. Realistically, we should lobby for a total ban of single use non-biodegradable plastics worldwide, a tax on single use biodegradable plastics, and a superfund funded by that tax to clean up the world of plastics in every form possible. If we can get 80% of it dealt with then the rest would take care of itself.
  - everdrive 2y ago
    I'm sorry -- given the responses it's clear my comment didn't come across very well. What I was trying to convey is just what you're saying -- that wholly avoiding plastics is more or less impossible on the individual level, and broad societal preferences (cheap goods, easy manufacturing processes, high profits, etc) hold us hostage.
- everdrive 2y ago
  There are some steps you can take to improve things, but avoiding them altogether seems impossible. I certainly didn't mean to imply that individuals could do much here. That is sort of the point: we're trapped by the bulk preferences of society. If no one made polyester clothing, no one would be able to buy any. It's the consumer preference for cheaper fabrics which have contributed in this case. Anyhow, no one can wholesale avoid plastic usage. (for instance, I'm typing this on a computer. Trying finding a computer without any plastics.) But, there are things you can do to at least improve things. Recycling: - Never, ever recycle plastics. Plastic recycling strongly contributes to microplastics due to the cleansing process. Plastic is also not like glass or metal, either. It's getting one more go-around before entering the landfill in any case. Clothing: - Avoid polyester fleece at all costs. - Avoid polyester as much as possible. - If you own polyester fabrics, wash them as little as possible. - Prioritize cotton, linen, or wool for all fabric purchases. Food: - Avoid anything heated or prepared in plastic, such as microwave meals, microwave popcorn, street food, etc. - Local farm share is an option for some. Driving: - Tire particles are the biggest contributor most don't think about. So, drive less, if you can.
- helph67 2y ago
  Promote a return to the use of paper and cardboard packaging. They are/were manufactured from natural fibres (cellulose) which broke down naturally in water. Difference between plastic and paper? You could eat the latter and survive!
  - rolandog 2y ago
    Or, better yet, glass containers! (So you don't have to rely on PFAS-riddled or plastic-based coatings on cardboard packaging).
MisterTea 2y ago
> But people keep buying and using, and discarding plastics simply out of convenience. You say that as if it's easy.
- everdrive 2y ago
  I'm sorry, I didn't mean to suggest that people had easy other options. I didn't mean "preferences" in the individual choice sense of the word, but in the network effects sense of the word. In other words, even if people generally didn't want to buy food that comes in plastic containers, there are vanishingly few alternatives, and this is driven by market forces that individuals have no control over.

arketyp 2y ago

Honest question, why is the study of microplastics and its causes a recent thing? Are better instruments involved somehow? Plastics with their special properties have always been known to be "unnatural", even used as a synonym for that word, so one would think we would have kept an eye on them from the start.

KboPAacDA3 2y ago
It's the current trend in selling the fear of climate change caused by fossil fuels. People get desensitized to prior campaigns, like oil drilling, pipelines, gasoline cars, and plastic bottles in the ocean and straws in the rivers. Microplastics push the fact there's something foreign in your own body, and that's disgusting.

reify 2y ago

This is going to seriously impact the modern day dating scene. you are on the first date and the woman has three questions; can I just ask? "Have you been jabbed"? can I just ask? "Have you been checked for testicular microplastics"? can I just ask? "Do you have the certification to prove it"? She is rightly concerned about her future children. I certainly would not have a child with anyone who has been jabbed or has testicular microplastics.

FloorEgg 2y ago
Why?
- BizarroLand 2y ago
  They are both stupid and paranoid. I call it Chicken Little Syndrome. They've convinced themselves that the sky is falling and start looking for any chunk of blue they can find to prove it.
  - autoexec 2y ago
    What kills me about people like this is that the world is full of legitimate problems that they could be worried about, but instead they put so much attention on things that are entirely fictional or don't matter in any way.
choilive 2y ago
Then I guess you'll never have children - the point of the study is it appears 100% of the male population has testicular microplastics. We know what the implications are so I wouldnt exclude 100% of the dating pool just yet, however your anti-vax statements is good enough for immediate exclusion anyways.
rumblestrut 2y ago
"I certainly would not have a child with anyone who has been jabbed" LOL, OK. "or has testicular microplastics." Again, LOL. They are everywhere.
2y ago

gnabgib 2y ago

Discussions [0](37 points, 5 days ago, 14 comments) [1](18 points,3 days ago, 5 comments) [2](37 points, 3 days ago, 3 comments) [3](23 points, 2 days ago, 31 comments) [4](39 points, 2 days ago, 24 comments) [0]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40403492 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40403492 [1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40415982 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40415982 [2]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40421787 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40421787 [3]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40427296 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40427296 [4]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40429247 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=40429247

sharpshadow 2y ago

Would like to know if the microplastic is also in the ejaculate. If so then it could be removed that way from the testicles.

ninininino 2y ago
The microplastics are everywhere. In all tissue. In the brain, in the heart, in the food and water, floating in the air and household dust. Floating in the air outside, from the plastics in tires wearing away on the pavement. And yes, they are in the semen. So is the PFAS. And all the other shit that rich and old people don't give a fuck about spreading into everything.
- autoexec 2y ago
  > And all the other shit that rich and old people don't give a fuck about spreading into everything. There have been zero consequences for poisoning the entire planet and everything living thing on it. It's profitable for companies to knowingly poison entire communities. Until there is real accountability for corporations that act like psychopaths and serial killers nothing will change.
- sharpshadow 2y ago
  Yes clearly that’s what we found, but my question goes into the direction of getting out microplastics from the testicles through ejaculation. If microplastics are in the testicles then they are also in sperm and maybe through that it can be estimated how much there is in total. Also if there goes out a certain amount with the sperm then repeated ejaculation should drain the microplastics out of the testicles, at least until a certain amount. That way for example one could improve the quality of the sperm for a upcoming fertilisation.