I went to this talk at the University of Colorado, Boulder in March 2010. I was so impressed I wrote to TED to suggest the speaker, Dr Alan Vajda, be included in one of their programs.
Estrogen in our drinking water? Humans and wildlife are exposed to endocrine- and neuro-active chemicals, including estrogen, in our drinking water. Poised at the intersection of economic development, water scarcity, and an emerging eco-human health crisis, Dr. Alan Vajda’s investigation of the ecological and evolutionary context of water contamination can expand our understanding of environmental problem solving. Dr. Vajda, a CU graduate, is Assistant Professor of Integrative Biology at UC-Denver.
via University of Colorado Boulder – Event Details View – Sex Lies Water Supplies.
Below is a blog from someone who understands more than I, a science student, Karmen. She obviously also took good notesat another of Dr Vajda’s lectures on the same topic.(She has nice pictures too-thanks for the fish 🙂
Here is Karmen’s detailed synopsis at scienceblogs.com blog: There’s what in the water?
That fish is the ‘white sucker’ (Catostomus commersoni) that was the subject of this research as it disturbingly changes sex in the presence of the endocrine disrupting chemicals in the Boulder Creek.
Oh and while Im talking about research subjects, check out the special freshwater snails in New Zealand that behave very interestingly when they live inside plastic water bottles with BPA. Also in Karmen’s description of the research conducted by Vajda.
PS it turns out she credits BASIN (Boulder Area Sustainability Information Network) for her photoswho also have more information on this topic.