Toxic chemicals are raising infertility in humans, fish, birds, and insects: ‘A whisper that is powerful enough to redirect a hurricane’

A pile of shredded plastic in Vietnam (Credit: Thanh Hue—Getty Images)

Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that fertility rates, the average number of births women are projected to have over their lifetime, fell to a record low last year. It’s a demographic shift that could hold repercussions for the economy and the country’s politics. 

There are many reasons for this, including the fact that women’s career options and earning potential have improved. But not every factor behind declining birth rates has to do with everyday decisions.