Tyrone Hayes, scientist, National Geographic Explorer
National Geographic Society Explorer, scientist, and the subject of a recent New Yorker magazine article as well as a profile on this week’s National Public Radio program “All Things Considered,” Tyrone Hayes has published research on the common herbicide atrazine that indicates it has a significant negative impact on the environment.
The New Yorker article chronicles the story of Hayes’ research and the threatening actions that Syngenta, the manufacturer of atrazine, took against Hayes to discredit him and his research. Atrazine is the most commonly detected pesticide contaminant in ground water, surface water, and precipitation, and it affects reproduction in amphibian populations, thus its presence may contribute to the global decline in amphibian populations. In addition, because frog hormones are similar to human hormones, Hayes’ research has raised concerns about the influence of herbicides and pesticides on human reproduction and health. Hayes also has been a strong advocate for the careful review and regulation of environmental chemical contaminants, like atrazine, due to their potential to adversely affect human health.