Nicholas Kristof, writing in the New York Times, says that a class of pollutants known as endocrine disruptors is apparently causing male fish and frogs to develop feminine characteristics.
There is evidence, as well, he says, that the phenomenon has begun to affect humans. The incidence in human babies of malformed sexual organs has begun to climb, he warns, and the chemicals responsible are ubiquitous. As many as one in fourteen boys is now born with undescended testicles, and the incidence of hypospadia in baby boys has also begun to climb.
In 1996, the book, "Our Stolen Future" warned of this problem. Little in the way of concrete action was taken by government, however.
