Exposure to common pesticides is associated with lower sperm concentrations in men around the world, according to research published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives on Wednesday.
Why it matters: Sperm densities in men across the Western world have fallen rapidly since the early 1970s. Some scientists have suspected that synthetics chemicals that disrupt the body's hormonal system have contributed to the decline, though the precise causes are not fully known.
The share of Americans who trust scientists and believe science has had a mostly positive effect on society has fallen significantly over the past four years, a new Pew Research Center survey found.
The big picture: Trust in scientists declined during the pandemic, at a time when public health officials came under fire for business closures and vaccine and mask mandates meant to protect the public from COVID-19.
