#Sciencecommunication

A recent vote by a United States government advisory panel to curtail the use of thimerosal—a mercury-based preservative—in flu vaccines has reignited controversy over vaccine safety and the legacy of discredited autism claims. The vote, which followed a presentation by prominent vaccine critics now serving in government, illustrates how decades-old debates over vaccine ingredients continue to influence public health policy, even as the global consensus remains firm on vaccine safety.

A recent spectacle in Los Angeles has thrust the topic of male reproductive health to center stage, as hundreds gathered—and thousands more watched online—for an unprecedented “sperm race” organized by a 17-year-old high school student. Using cutting-edge microscopy and a dose of viral showmanship, the event sought to raise awareness of male infertility, a topic receiving growing attention both in the United States and internationally.

The event, engineered by a high school entrepreneur, featured semen samples pipetted onto custom “race tracks” and projected live onto giant screens, transforming the invisible world of sperm motility into a competitive sport for a cheering audience. With 3D animation and even a mock-award ceremony, the “athletes” were not traditional students but rather the sperm cells themselves—drawing both laughter and a moment of pause regarding reproductive health.