Dirty Dishes	Dirty Dishes Archive

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Dawn has long-noted that pseudo-science, wherein rumor and ill-constructed studies parade as determined "fact," particularly plagues sex news (both since relatively little research money flows to sex matters and people are eager to repeat sex gossip as truth).

Thus, Dawn was intrigued to note that a new sperm study challenges the common wisdom that looser underwear keeps the male genitalia cooler, thus promoting fertility. (Sperms get sluggish when too warm.) The researchers say many doctors prescribe a change to looser underwear for men having problems in becoming fathers following the theory that briefs keep the testes too warm. But a study of medical literature back to the early 19th century found nothing scientific to support such a supposition, so they conducted a study of 97 "fertility-challenged" (a.k.a., "lucky") men. Some of the study subjects wore briefs, some, boxer shorts. They found the boxer-sporting men actually had higher scrotal temperature than those wearing briefs. "The scrotum is able to auto-regulate its temperature," note researchers, "and it has very little to do with what kind of garments people are wearing." As a fan of treasure-hugging briefs, Dawn is relieved.