The Disappearing Spoon: Why Don’t We Have a Male Birth Control Pill Yet?

<p>The debut of the female birth control pill in 1960 was revolutionary. The combination of progesterone and estrogen allowed women to control their reproductive lives much more easily and effectively. But the pill had many unpleasant and even dangerous side effects. In fact, some doctors argue that it wouldn’t win government approval today. So why haven’t scientists tried to create a birth control pill for men? It turns out they have. In the 1950s scientists created a really good one. But it had one problem—you can’t drink alcohol when you take it.</p> <h2>Credits</h2> <p>Host: <a href="https://samkean.com/" target="_blank" rel= "noopener" data-cke-saved-href="https://samkean.com/">Sam Kean</a><br /> Senior Producer: <a href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/mariel-carr" data-cke-saved-href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/mariel-carr">Mariel Carr</a><br /> Producer: <a href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/rigoberto-hernandez" data-cke-saved-href= "https://www.sciencehistory.org/profile/rigoberto-hernandez">Rigoberto Hernandez</a><br /> Audio Engineer: <a href="https://www.podbrain.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-cke-saved-href= "https://www.podbrain.org/">Jonathan Pfeffer</a></p> <p>Music:</p> <p>Jean-Claude Risset - Mutations<br /> Peter B - The Growling Dog Hit<br /> Perry & Kingsley - Cosmic Ballad<br /> Charlie Hoistman - Ptpar(({|i|[i*8,Pbind(\scale,[0,2,4,7,9],\degree,Pseq(32.fib.fold(0,10),4)+(2*i+i)-10,\dur,1+2**i%2/6)]}!4).flat).play // #supercollider<br /> Régis Renouard Larivière - Contrée<br /> Raymond Scott - Lightworks<br /> Deerhoof - Despareceré<br /> Juk Suk Reet Meate - B3 (excerpt from Solo 1978/79)<br /> Ben Vida - Ssseeeeiiiiii<br /> Marmots - Sheath and Knife<br /> Tim Walters - play{({|k|({|i|y=SinOsc;y.ar(i*k*k,y.ar(i*k**i/[4,5])*Decay.kr(Dust.kr(1/4**i),y.ar(0.1)+1*k+i,k*999))}!8).product}!16).sum}//#supercollider<br /> Eva-Maria Houben - quatuor iv<br /> Young Marble Giants - Zebra Trucks<br /> All other music composed by <a href= "https://www.podbrai