Would-Be Dads Have Ticking Clock, Too

Sound waves in sensitive area cut sperm production

(NEWSER) - Researchers say they have found what could be a cheap, reliable, and long-lasting form of male birth control, although it involves zapping the testicles with ultrasound. A study on rats found that sound waves slowed sperm production to levels that would cause infertility in humans, making ultrasound a "promising candidate" for contraception, the BBC reports. More»

Researchers see hope for infertile men

(NEWSER) - Researchers have managed to produce sperm cells from embryonic stem cells—and for the first time, the sperm worked, resulting in healthy baby mice. Researchers in Japan mixed the embryonic stem cells with certain proteins and hormones. They converted the resulting cells into germ cells, which they implanted in the testes of mice. There, they developed into working sperm, Discover reports. Researchers hope the discovery will lead to male infertility treatments, notes ScienceNow . More»

If it works in humans, it could help with men's infertility

(NEWSER) - Japanese researchers have grown sperm in the laboratory for the first time, reports Nature . If the breakthrough with mice transfers to humans, it could open up IVF treatments for infertile men, notes the Guardian . Scientists created the sperm from the testicular tissue of mice and successfully produced a dozen baby mice with it. More»

82 drugs kept fuhrer going

(NEWSER) - Adolph Hitler had regular injections of dextrose and vitamins, testosterone and a flatulence preventative that included minute doses of the nerve agent strychnine, according to a new book. For an added boost on date nights with Eva Braun the fuhrer indulged in a shot of bull semen extract. War Hitler Krank? (was Hitler sick?) is an exhaustive examination of Hitler's medical history and all 82 drugs he took while he ruled Germany. It debunks several myths arising from the search for a medical or biological explanation for Hitler's madness, reports Der Spiegel . More»

(NEWSER) - British scientists announced they have created synthetic human sperm for the first time, the Guardian reports. The sperm—grown in a lab from stem cells—swim, have tails, and exhibit many of the same biological characteristics of real sperm, according to researchers. They believe the breakthrough could lead to a better understanding of male infertility and its treatment. More»