NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Climate change is affecting male fertility, and high-temperature waves can "destroy" sperm, a recent medical study found.
Scientists warned that climate change could pose a serious threat to men's fertility, as heat waves cause serious long-term damage to sperm.
The researchers found that male fertility of insects decreases significantly when temperatures rise above normal for short periods, the Daily Mail reported.
After exposing the beetles to heat waves for 5 days, with temperatures rising from 5 to 7 degrees Celsius, the amount of sperm produced by male beetles fell by half, while the second heat wave almost infertile.
However, the study also found that female beetles were not affected by changes in temperature and air.
"We have shown that sperm function is very sensitive when it comes to warming," said Professor Guy Gaig, head of the research team at the University of East Anglia. "The study can provide an explanation for the causes of biodiversity deficits and deficiencies due to climate change.
The study, published in the journal Nature Communications, found that the offspring that emerged during the heat waves were less fertile, and that their lives were 20 months shorter than normal.
According to Chris Supers, who led the study, insects in nature often face many heat waves, which can lead to a problem of reproduction, especially if the male does not adapt to that heat or recover after exposure.
