Our Stolen Future: Are We Threatening Our Fertility, Intelligence, and Survival? : a Scientific Detective StoryOver thirty years ago, Rachel Carson's Silent Spring first warned that manmade chemicals had spread across the planet, permeating virtually every living creature and the most distant wilderness. Her landmark book documented the deadly toll of these synthetic chemicals to birds and wildlife. Only now, however, are we recognizing the full consequences of this insidious invasion, which is derailing sexual development and reproduction, not only in a host of animal populations but, it now appears, in humans as well. Our Stolen Future, by two leading environmental scientists and an award-winning environmental journalist, is the first book to piece together the compelling evidence from wildlife studies, laboratory experiments, and human data and to lay out the emerging scientific case regarding this largely unrecognized threat. Picking up where Silent Spring left off, it reveals the underlying causes of the symptoms that had so alarmed Carson. Building on decades of research, the authors give a gripping account that traces birth defects, sexual abnormalities, and reproductive failures in wildlife to their source - synthetic chemicals that mimic natural hormones, upsetting normal reproductive and developmental processes. The conclusions drawn here are as urgent as they are inescapable. We must move aggressively to protect ourselves and our families in the short term and to begin vital long-term changes in the way we manufacture and employ the manmade compounds that have become an integral part of our "good life." This riveting and immensely important work is an indispensable volume for those concerned about the profound human impact on the environment, the integrity and survival of our species, and the well-being of our children. |
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abnormalities adult alligators animal studies Arctic baby behavior Béland beluga biological birds body brain breast cancer breast milk cause cells Colborn compounds damage decades Diethylstilbestrol dioxin disease disrupt hormones disruptors doses drug effects eggs endocrine disruptors endocrine system endometriosis environment estrogen mimics estrogen receptor evidence experiments exposed female fertility fish gland gull hazards hormonally active hormone disruptors hormone levels hormone-disrupting chemicals human immune system impact impaired increase Journal laboratory Lake Apopka Lake Ontario linked male mammals McLachlan mice million molecule mone mothers natural normal offspring Organochlorine paragraph starting PCBs percent persistent chemicals pesticides plant plastic pollution Polychlorinated Biphenyls population pregnancy problems prostate pups question rats reported reproductive researchers risk Saal Saal's scientific scientists seals showed Sonnenschein Soto species sperm counts synthetic chemicals testicles testicular cancer testosterone tests Theo Colborn thyroid tion tissue Toxicology tumors vitellogenin wildlife womb wombmate women