A common weedkiller in the U.S., already suspected of causing sexual abnormalities in frogs and fish, has now been found to alter hormonal signaling in human cells, scientists from the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) report.

The herbicide atrazine is the second most widely used weedkiller in the U.S., applied to corn and sorghum fields throughout the Midwest and also spread on suburban lawns and gardens. It was banned in Europe after studies linked the chemical to endocrine disruptions in fish and amphibians.

How lucky are we that they test these products before they start selling them in the shops! The reason to why a failure such as this one occurs is that we first look at profit, and then worry about any consequences that might turn up. And, keep in mind, the more we pollute and alter our ecosystems, the more inbalance will disrupt the natural order and force us to use more herbicides and other artificial ways of trying to keep nature in check. Double-failure!