Masculine behavior bad for the planet says new research

Major new research on climate change, global warming and environmental collapse, how they connect with what men do, and what to do about it has just been published by a research team.
Men generally exhibit higher carbon footprints and environmental impacts, particularly through consumption, travel, and involvement in high-impact industries. They show less concern for climate change and are less likely to support or engage in environmental politics. These patterns are most pronounced among elite men in the global North, though some men actively work to counteract these trends.
The team's findings
Men tend to have a greater carbon footprint and greater environmental impact through consumption, especially travel, transportation, and tourism
Men tend to have less concern with climate change, and less willingness to change everyday practices to ameliorate it
Men tend to be less ambitious and less active in environmental politics, and less supportive of political parties that work for environmental justice
Men tend to be more involved in owning, managing, controlling heavy, chemical, carbon-based, industrialized agriculture, high environmental impact and extractive industries, and of course militarism, with its own devastating environmental effects
These damaging patterns apply especially to elite men in the global North
But some men are working urgently and energetically to change these tendencies.

Kadri Aavik et al, Men, masculinities, and the planet at the end of (M)Anthropocene: ecological/social/economic/political relations, processes and consequences, NORMA (2025). DOI: 10.1080/18902138.2025.2576458

Early-life chemical exposure may leave extra X and Y chromosomes in sperm

An estimated 7% of all men are affected by infertility. Multiple animal studies indicate that exposure to persistent environmental chemicals in early life can negatively impact male reproductive health, and now a human study suggests the same.
Prenatal and early-life exposure to organochlorines (PCBs) and perfluorinated compounds (PFASs) is associated with increased sperm aneuploidy, specifically extra X and Y chromosomes, in adult men. Elevated PCB levels correlated mainly with additional Y chromosomes, while PFAS exposure was linked to both extra X and Y chromosomes, indicating enduring impacts on sperm genetic integrity.
Normal sperm contain either an X (i.e., the designated chromosome for females) or Y (i.e., the one present in males) chromosome. PCB concentration in blood samples was associated mainly with having an additional Y chromosome, while PFAS exposure was consistently associated with both extra Y and X chromosomes.

Researchers theorize that PCB exposure could be from a maternal diet of contaminated seafood. PFAS exposure was likely due to environmental pollutants in food, water, and air.

Melissa J. Perry et al, In utero and childhood exposure to organochlorines and perfluorinated chemicals in relation to sperm aneuploidy in adulthood, Environmental Health (2026). DOI: 10.1186/s12940-026-01303-w

Both very low and very high heart rates are significantly associated with stroke risk, study finds

A study presented at the European Stroke Organization Conference (ESOC) 2026 suggests that both very low and very high resting heart rates are linked with an increased risk of stroke. As the largest population-level study to examine this relationship, the findings challenge the assumption that lower heart rates are always a sign of good cardiovascular fitness and carry no risk.
Both very low (<50 bpm) and very high (≥90 bpm) resting heart rates are independently associated with increased stroke risk, forming a U-shaped relationship, with the lowest risk at 60–69 bpm. This association persists after adjusting for major risk factors and is evident only in individuals without atrial fibrillation. Low heart rates are mainly linked to ischemic stroke, while high rates are associated with both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. In an analysis of the UK Biobank, researchers followed 460,000 participants for an average of 14 years, during which 12,290 strokes occurred. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex and cardiovascular risk factors, including atrial fibrillation—a heart condition that causes an irregular heartbeat and is a major cause of stroke. Stroke risk was lowest at resting heart rates of 60 to 69 beats per minute (bpm) but increased at both extremes—below 50 bpm and at or above 90 bpm—forming a clear U-shaped pattern. At these extremes, stroke risk was 25% higher in those with very low heart rates and 45% higher in those with very high heart rates. Importantly, in the overall population, this relationship remained after adjustment for established stroke risk factors including hypertension, diabetes and atrial fibrillation, suggesting it reflects a genuine biological signal. However, when participants were analyzed separately, the pattern was only seen in people without atrial fibrillation. In those with the condition, the relationship was not apparent. This is likely because atrial fibrillation is such a strong risk factor for stroke, increasing risk by around fivefold, that it outweighs the contribution of heart rate and limits our ability to detect its effect. Heart rate was therefore most informative in people without atrial fibrillation, where it may provide a valuable additional tool for identifying and stratifying stroke risk. The researchers also explored the potential mechanisms underlying the relationship between heart rate and stroke. Very low heart rates were primarily associated with ischemic stroke. This would be consistent with the hypothesis that very low heart rates could be associated with reduced blood flow to the brain by prolonging the relaxation phase between heartbeats. In contrast, elevated heart rates were associated with both ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and may suggest increased stress on blood vessel walls that could contribute to both ischemic injury and a greater predisposition to bleeding.

Penn, D., et al. Reduced and elevated resting heart rates predict risk of stroke, independently of atrial fibrillation: A UK Biobank analysis. Oral presentation. European Stroke Organization Conference (ESOC) 2026.