In Brief

By Lisa McLaughlin

HOT SEAT Men who spend long hours driving could be lowering their sperm count. Fertility experts in Toulouse, France, recently found that the temperature of the scrotum, which is normally 94[degrees]F when a man is standing, can nearly match his body temperature of 98.6[degrees]F after just two hours behind the wheel. Sperm die after a few days at normal body temperature. To blame are the warm interiors of most cars and the way most men press their thighs together when driving. Men can try to cool themselves with air-circulating beaded car seats, air conditioning and nonrestrictive clothing, such as boxer shorts. But the most reliable way to lower the temperature is to take frequent cooling breaks when driving for long periods.

--By Lisa McLaughlin