In a world where technological advancements promise unprecedented convenience, a silent crisis is unfolding: the decline of human health and fertility. Nicole Shanahan, in her January 3, 2025, article “The War for Humanity’s Future” published in IM—1776, highlights this pressing issue, emphasizing the urgent need for societal change.
Shanahan points to alarming statistics: South Korea’s birth rate has plummeted to 0.72 children per woman, the UK’s to 1.5, and the United States has reached a historic low of 1.64 births per woman. These figures fall significantly below the replacement level of 2.1, signaling potential societal and economic challenges ahead.
Concurrently, chronic diseases dominate mortality rates in the U.S., with heart disease alone claiming nearly 700,000 lives annually. Despite the U.S. spending approximately $15,000 per person on healthcare each year, it ranks 49th in life expectancy, trailing behind many developed nations.
The root causes of these crises, according to Shanahan, include environmental toxins, ultra-processed foods, and technological harms. She references a study from *Brain Sciences* that illustrates how electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and chemical exposures, especially during the perinatal period, disrupt human neurodevelopment.
These disruptions can lead to increased intracellular calcium levels, potentially contributing to the rise of conditions like autism spectrum disorders. Shanahan argues that while technological innovations have the potential to be made safer, a lack of accountability from industries and complicit leadership exacerbate the situation.
She warns that as electrochemical beings, humans are susceptible to “short-circuiting” at a cellular level due to these pervasive pollutants. This call to action underscores the necessity for a comprehensive reevaluation of our environmental and technological practices to safeguard humanity’s future.