IN BRIEF (Page 19)

Sitting threat to male fertility

Heated car seats reduce fertility in men, according to a German study.

Researchers at the University of Giessen have discovered that just one hour of sitting in a heated car seat can cause a testicular temperature spike of up to 4 or 5 C. This means exceeding the optimum temperature for healthy sperm production, which is around two degrees below the body's core temperature of 37 C, according to the findings reported in New Scientist magazine.