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UK scientists say they have conducted an unprecedented, long-term study showing a link between Roundup - one of the most widely used herbicides in the world - and severe liver damage in test rats.
The research sparked further debate in the international scientific community over the potential health hazards to people caused by exposure to the well-known weed killer.
Scientists from King's College London, whose findings were published in the journal, Nature , earlier this month, said their tests used cutting-edge technology to demonstrate that "extremely low doses" of the herbicide administered to rats through their drinking water had caused "non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)" over a two-year period.
NAFLD can lead to more serious liver disease such as cirrhosis, and increases the risk of other illnesses including diabetes, heart attacks and strokes.
"The study is unique in that it is the first to show a causative link between consumption of Roundup at a real-world environmental dose and a serious disease condition," the report said.
In recent years, there have been an increasing number of studies alleging links between herbicides - used to help grow genetically modified crops - to a wide range of health issues including birth defects, reproductive and neurological problems, cancer, and even DNA damage. Monsanto, the maker of Roundup, has repeatedly denied the accusations , insisting the product is safe for humans. A number of scientists and researchers say there has been insufficient evidence to prove herbicides cause health problems for people.
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(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 24 2017, @03:32AM
I'm sure what your neighbors REALLY love about you is how you are growing a wild weed garden full of seeds that blow into their yard forcing the extra work, expense, and general pain in the ass on THEM because you're too lazy to even pull your weeds out by hand which is the green way of doing it. Nah, keep blowing your seeds right onto their lawn, inconsiderate fellow. You are probably increasing your neighbors' herbicide use as a consequence.
(Score: 2) by t-3 on Tuesday January 24 2017, @05:24AM
Well... Dandelions are edible (both the leaves and the root, they were introduced to the Americas by European settlers for this reason) they improve soil (the thick taproot breaks up compacted soil and pulls up nutrients from deeper than grass roots go), they provide food for pollinators, and why do you need a grass lawn when you don't own any animals?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday January 24 2017, @06:56AM