Endocrine disruption, environmental justice, and the ivory tower | Tyrone Hayes | TEDxBerkeley

Summary

The speaker begins by expressing gratitude to their family, friends, and students before recounting their research on the herbicide atrazine. They describe its harmful effects on frogs, leading to feminization and reproductive issues. The speaker discusses how these findings extend to humans, citing increased risks of cancer and reproductive health problems linked to atrazine exposure. They also highlight environmental justice, noting how minority communities face disproportionate harm from chemical contamination. The speaker ultimately advocates for scientific activism, urging action to protect public health and the environment.

Takeaways

• 🌍 The speaker shares a Bantu proverb, 'I am because we are,' emphasizing the importance of community and acknowledging the people who have shaped his life and career, including family, friends, and colleagues.
• 🧑‍🔬 The speaker reflects on their journey as a biologist studying frog hormones and how a chemical company asked them to study the effects of their number-one selling product, Atrazine, on frogs.
• 🐸 Exposure to Atrazine caused significant abnormalities in frogs, including deformities in their reproductive organs, leading to genetically male frogs developing into functional females.
• 🧪 Despite presenting these findings to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the EPA did not consider the impact on frogs as sufficient to reevaluate the safety of Atrazine.
• 👨‍👩‍👦 The speaker highlights how Atrazine affects not only frogs but humans, pointing to studies showing low sperm counts in men with Atrazine exposure and other health issues like prostate cancer.
• ⚖️ The speaker discusses the broader implications of Atrazine exposure, especially on marginalized communities, including Latino agricultural workers in California who are disproportionately exposed to harmful chemicals.
• 💉 Atrazine is shown to have estrogen-like effects in both animals and humans, raising concerns about its link to breast and prostate cancer in humans, particularly in minority and low-income communities.
• 👶 The long-term effects of Atrazine exposure can span generations, with research showing that exposure in one generation can affect the health and development of subsequent generations.
• 💼 The speaker criticizes the EPA’s approach to weighing economic benefits against human health risks, arguing that monetary values should not outweigh the potential harm Atrazine causes to public health.
• 🧑‍⚖️ The speaker urges for change, calling out chemical companies for discrediting scientists and advocating for more accessible and public science, stating that those who have the privilege to know have a duty to act.

Q & A

What is the significance of the Bantu proverb mentioned at the start of the speech?

The Bantu proverb, 'I am because we are, or people are people through other people,' emphasizes the speaker's belief that individual success and identity are shaped by the people around them. It highlights the importance of community and mutual support in personal and professional growth.

Why does the speaker express gratitude to various people at the beginning?

The speaker expresses gratitude to family, friends, students, and colleagues because they have played a crucial role in shaping their journey and achievements. The acknowledgment of others aligns with the idea that success is a collective effort.

How did the speaker's work with frogs lead to research on the herbicide atrazine?

The speaker, as a professor of biology specializing in frog hormones, was approached by a chemical company to study whether atrazine, a popular herbicide, affected frog hormones. This research led to findings that atrazine interfered with the frogs' reproductive systems.

What were the effects of atrazine exposure on frogs, as discovered by the speaker?

The speaker’s research found that atrazine caused abnormalities in frogs, such as the presence of both male and female reproductive organs in the same individual, and genetic males turning into fully functioning females. These effects raised concerns about hormonal disruption.

How did the EPA respond to the speaker’s findings on atrazine and its impact on frogs?

The EPA was not initially moved by the speaker’s findings, despite the severe reproductive abnormalities in frogs. The agency did not consider these effects as adverse enough to reassess the safety of atrazine.

What connection does the speaker make between atrazine exposure in frogs and potential human health risks?

The speaker suggests that the hormonal disruptions observed in frogs could also affect humans, as both frogs and humans produce and use estrogen similarly. Atrazine in water sources may contribute to health issues like low sperm count, prostate cancer, and breast cancer in humans.

What is the relationship between atrazine exposure and cancer in humans, according to the speaker?

The speaker points out studies showing an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer in communities exposed to atrazine, particularly in factory workers and agricultural workers. Atrazine is believed to raise estrogen levels, which can contribute to hormone-related cancers.

Why does the speaker emphasize the concept of 'environmental justice'?

The speaker highlights that marginalized communities, such as low-income and Latino agricultural workers in California, are disproportionately exposed to atrazine and other harmful chemicals. These communities bear the health risks while contributing significantly to the economy.

How has the speaker’s activism impacted their professional life?

The speaker’s activism, particularly their critique of atrazine and its manufacturers, has led to personal and professional challenges, including attempts by the chemical companies to discredit them. However, they remain committed to raising awareness about the health risks of atrazine.

What message does the speaker convey about the role of scientists and their responsibility to act?

The speaker believes that scientists have a responsibility to act when they discover information that could impact public health. They argue that publishing research is not enough; scientists must also communicate findings to the public and advocate for policy changes, especially when the health of future generations is at stake.