California Girls on The Wane Because of Japan Radiation? Study Says Nuclear Release Could Mean Fewer Females Born in Golden State
Yes, we still wish they all could be California girls. 
Katy Perry, a limited resource.
But thanks to radiation from Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station, there could be less of them. And more boys.
A fascinating study out of Germany correlates release of radioactive material and a decrease in the number of girls born in an effected area. In the case of Japan's quake-and-tsunami plagued nuclear reactors, California's offspring could be in the cross-hairs, reports the UK's Daily Mail:
... In the wake of Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant accident experts are predicting another baby boy boom could be imminent, especially on the U.S. West Coast.'We do not know how much radioactivity was emitted through Fukushima and how it will spread throughout the world,' [study co-author Hagen] Scherb said.
'Maybe it's confined to just Japan, but if it gets in the water and the air, it's possible that we could see a similar effect, especially on the West Coast of America.'
The study looked at radiation releases, such as the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, and birthrates, from 1975 to 2007 and found a correlation between a decrease in girls being born and proximity to such nuclear hot zones.
One theory is that the radiation effects sperm's ability to transmit the X chromosome, leading to more XY births (boys) and fewer XX's (girls).
Of course, officials and experts have said radiation from Japan has been relatively miniscule in these parts.
Still, guys, keep your fingers (and legs) crossed.
[@dennisjromero/djromero@laweekly.com]
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