Our first story has serious global implications,
Our first story has serious global implications,

the very survival of the human species,
the very survival of the human species,

but it's about something that really couldn't get
but it's about something that really couldn't get

more personal--
more personal--

fertility.
fertility.

Researchers have recently found staggering drops in male sperm
Researchers have recently found staggering drops in male sperm

count in Western countries.
count in Western countries.

The big question is, why?
The big question is, why?

Correspondent Tim Samuels agreed to put himself
Correspondent Tim Samuels agreed to put himself

on the front lines in New York to figure
on the front lines in New York to figure

out what's up down there.
out what's up down there.

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[music playing]

I'm Tim Samuels, in New York, investigating
I'm Tim Samuels, in New York, investigating

a crisis close to home--
a crisis close to home--

the global spermaggedon.
the global spermaggedon.

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[music playing]

An alarming new study has found that between 1973 and 2011,
An alarming new study has found that between 1973 and 2011,

sperm counts in Western males--
sperm counts in Western males--

men in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand--
men in North America, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand--

dropped from an average of 99 million sperm per cubic
dropped from an average of 99 million sperm per cubic

centimeter to just 47 million.
centimeter to just 47 million.

Theoretically, if the trend persists,
Theoretically, if the trend persists,

by 2050, our sperm may disappear entirely.
by 2050, our sperm may disappear entirely.

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[music playing]

I'm here to add my sample to the scientific pool,
I'm here to add my sample to the scientific pool,

and I am deeply hopeful that mine are still swimming.
and I am deeply hopeful that mine are still swimming.

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[music playing]

Hi.
Hi.

I'm Tim.
I'm Tim.

Hi, Tim. I'm Miriam.
Hi, Tim. I'm Miriam.

Hi, Miriam.
Hi, Miriam.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): This is about to get awkward.
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): This is about to get awkward.

OK.
OK.

Here's your specimen jar.
Here's your specimen jar.

You can come right on in here.
You can come right on in here.

You're provided with the materials that you need.
You're provided with the materials that you need.

And once you're finished, you give me a call at this number.
And once you're finished, you give me a call at this number.

Is there a special word?
Is there a special word?

Thunderbirds are go?
Thunderbirds are go?

MIRIAM: Uh, you're done.
MIRIAM: Uh, you're done.

OK
OK

[chuckles]
[chuckles]

OK?
OK?

Good?
Good?

- Yeah. - I'll see you then.
- Yeah. - I'll see you then.

See you on the other side. MIRIAM: Bye bye.
See you on the other side. MIRIAM: Bye bye.

Cheers.
Cheers.

[music playing]
[music playing]

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): With Miriam analyzing my sample
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): With Miriam analyzing my sample

upstairs, I'm turned loose on the streets
upstairs, I'm turned loose on the streets

to fret over my count and the modern day phenomena
to fret over my count and the modern day phenomena

like stress and obesity believed to lower it.
like stress and obesity believed to lower it.

Don't get me wrong.
Don't get me wrong.

I take my fertility very seriously.
I take my fertility very seriously.

To prep for this count, I've been eating right,
To prep for this count, I've been eating right,

exercising, managing stress.
exercising, managing stress.

Recently, I even started laying off the booze.
Recently, I even started laying off the booze.

But troubling research suggests little of this may matter.
But troubling research suggests little of this may matter.

Of the many factors contributing to sperm count decline,
Of the many factors contributing to sperm count decline,

there's one that's especially hard to avoid--
there's one that's especially hard to avoid--

plastics.
plastics.

More specifically, a group of chemicals
More specifically, a group of chemicals

found in many plastic products called phthalates.
found in many plastic products called phthalates.

Phthalates are added to plastic during manufacture
Phthalates are added to plastic during manufacture

to make it soft and flexible.
to make it soft and flexible.

They're just wonderfully versatile, amazing products.
They're just wonderfully versatile, amazing products.

It's just that they also have the effect of altering
It's just that they also have the effect of altering

our bodies' hormones.
our bodies' hormones.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Epidemiologist Shanna Swan,
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Epidemiologist Shanna Swan,

who co-authored the breakthrough fertility study,
who co-authored the breakthrough fertility study,

also researches phthalates' effect
also researches phthalates' effect

on the hormone testosterone.
on the hormone testosterone.

Shanna's met me at this 99-cent store
Shanna's met me at this 99-cent store

to show me how ubiquitous these chemicals are.
to show me how ubiquitous these chemicals are.

TIM SAMUELS: For me handling a plastic bottle,
TIM SAMUELS: For me handling a plastic bottle,

how does it get from there to my testes?
how does it get from there to my testes?

The chemicals that we were concerned about
The chemicals that we were concerned about

are not chemically bound to the plastic.
are not chemically bound to the plastic.

They are in the composition, but they come out.
They are in the composition, but they come out.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Microwaving leftovers
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Microwaving leftovers

in a plastic container is a prime example.
in a plastic container is a prime example.

When heated, the phthalates leach out
When heated, the phthalates leach out

of the plastic into the food.
of the plastic into the food.

We're ingesting them, we're absorbing them,
We're ingesting them, we're absorbing them,

and we're breathing them.
and we're breathing them.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): For reasons not entirely known,
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): For reasons not entirely known,

once inside the body, phthalates seem to inhibit
once inside the body, phthalates seem to inhibit

testosterone production.
testosterone production.

That's scary enough when you're a grown man,
That's scary enough when you're a grown man,

but Shanna's research suggests worse damage could
but Shanna's research suggests worse damage could

be done before we're even born.
be done before we're even born.

Your mother, when she was pregnant with you, what she
Your mother, when she was pregnant with you, what she

drank, what she ate, what she was exposed to
drank, what she ate, what she was exposed to

was actively affecting your body within her body.
was actively affecting your body within her body.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): For his sex organs to develop,
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): For his sex organs to develop,

the male fetus needs testosterone in utero.
the male fetus needs testosterone in utero.

[music playing]
[music playing]

When it's not there at the right time,
When it's not there at the right time,

in the right amount, then he can be what we
in the right amount, then he can be what we

call incompletely masculinized.
call incompletely masculinized.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Translation--
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Translation--

his testicles may not develop, and his penis may be smaller.
his testicles may not develop, and his penis may be smaller.

SHANNA SWAN: And he will have a low sperm count.
SHANNA SWAN: And he will have a low sperm count.

That's extraordinary.
That's extraordinary.

SHANNA SWAN: It is extraordinary.
SHANNA SWAN: It is extraordinary.

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[music playing]

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): The fertility study
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): The fertility study

which Shanna co-authored focused on Western men
which Shanna co-authored focused on Western men

because similar data is less available in other countries,
because similar data is less available in other countries,

but that doesn't mean the phenomenon isn't worldwide.
but that doesn't mean the phenomenon isn't worldwide.

If that trend continues as is, does
If that trend continues as is, does

it start to pose existential threats to our species?
it start to pose existential threats to our species?

I am not a seer.
I am not a seer.

I can't predict the future, but I can tell
I can't predict the future, but I can tell

you what doesn't look good.
you what doesn't look good.

[music playing]
[music playing]

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Our poor dwindling sperm.
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Our poor dwindling sperm.

They're working overtime to propagate the human race,
They're working overtime to propagate the human race,

but how much longer can they keep up?
but how much longer can they keep up?

What would a post-sperm world look like?
What would a post-sperm world look like?

Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop drinking.
Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop drinking.

Things are grim.
Things are grim.

I wouldn't deny it, but I'm a little bit more optimistic.
I wouldn't deny it, but I'm a little bit more optimistic.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Bioethicist Arthur Caplan
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Bioethicist Arthur Caplan

sees a future in which we ditch concerns about raising
sees a future in which we ditch concerns about raising

sperm counts and focus on raising
sperm counts and focus on raising

actual sperm with stem cells.
actual sperm with stem cells.

It sounds a little nuts, but you take the cell,
It sounds a little nuts, but you take the cell,

you put it in a dish, you put the right chemicals around it,
you put it in a dish, you put the right chemicals around it,

and lo and behold, you can trick it into making sperm cells.
and lo and behold, you can trick it into making sperm cells.

TIM SAMUELS: So is the future of reproduction in 20, 30 years,
TIM SAMUELS: So is the future of reproduction in 20, 30 years,

you know, darling, let's make a baby.
you know, darling, let's make a baby.

Rather than having sex, hold on, I'm
Rather than having sex, hold on, I'm

just going to take some stem cells,
just going to take some stem cells,

reverse engineer them, and try and select
reverse engineer them, and try and select

the sperm from there.
the sperm from there.

I think sex always will have a future,
I think sex always will have a future,

but it may get disconnected from reproduction.
but it may get disconnected from reproduction.

Engineering a better baby is the future.
Engineering a better baby is the future.

[music playing]
[music playing]

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Sperm by design.
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Sperm by design.

I'm ready to dive right in.
I'm ready to dive right in.

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[music playing]

Engineered to have my most desirable traits--
Engineered to have my most desirable traits--

intelligence, stunning good looks, athleticism,
intelligence, stunning good looks, athleticism,

ready to pair with the perfect egg.
ready to pair with the perfect egg.

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[music playing]

This technology will be great when
This technology will be great when

it's ready in 10 or 15 years, but that
it's ready in 10 or 15 years, but that

might be too late for me.
might be too late for me.

So I'm headed back to Weill Cornell
So I'm headed back to Weill Cornell

to learn how my sample fared.
to learn how my sample fared.

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[music playing]

It's a bit like being an expectant expectant father.
It's a bit like being an expectant expectant father.

Tim, hi.
Tim, hi.

Peter Schlegel. - Great.
Peter Schlegel. - Great.

So we're going to go right in here.
So we're going to go right in here.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Weill Cornell
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Weill Cornell

urologist Peter Schlegel specializes in male fertility.
urologist Peter Schlegel specializes in male fertility.

OK, so we've got some results.
OK, so we've got some results.

Miriam is looking at the sample right now.
Miriam is looking at the sample right now.

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[music playing]

OK, so that's-- that's my, uh, my chaps in there?
OK, so that's-- that's my, uh, my chaps in there?

That is your sample on there.
That is your sample on there.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Time for the moment of truth.
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): Time for the moment of truth.

TIM SAMUELS: This is it?
TIM SAMUELS: This is it?

Wow.
Wow.

This is-- it's mind-blowing to see your individual sperm.
This is-- it's mind-blowing to see your individual sperm.

Now, are they swimming just erratically in circles
Now, are they swimming just erratically in circles

or is there a pattern to this?
or is there a pattern to this?

Well, they never ask for directions,
Well, they never ask for directions,

which is part of the problem.
which is part of the problem.

Yeah.
Yeah.

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): But now for the potent question,
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): But now for the potent question,

how's my count?
how's my count?

PETER SCHLEGEL: The concentration of sperm
PETER SCHLEGEL: The concentration of sperm

in the sample is 87 million.
in the sample is 87 million.

The average man will have 60 to 80 million sperms.
The average man will have 60 to 80 million sperms.

You're even a little better than than average.
You're even a little better than than average.

OK.
OK.

But is the assumption that, had I
But is the assumption that, had I

lived 40 years ago, if we'd been doing this,
lived 40 years ago, if we'd been doing this,

it would have been better?
it would have been better?

Good question.
Good question.

Probably in the previous generation,
Probably in the previous generation,

numbers were higher.
numbers were higher.

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[music playing]

TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): OK.
TIM SAMUELS (VOICEOVER): OK.

So thankfully, my chaps can swim better
So thankfully, my chaps can swim better

than I can, and theoretically, seem
than I can, and theoretically, seem

up to the reproductive task.
up to the reproductive task.

Now, just the small matter of finding an egg they
Now, just the small matter of finding an egg they

can call home.
can call home.

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