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Will the global testosterone decline accelerate the shift to robot warfare?
The Pentagon’s push for mandatory hormone testing raises questions about the future of humans on the battlefield
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Chao Kongin BeijingPublished: 9:00am, 31 Jul 2026The Pentagon has introduced mandatory testosterone screening for active-duty service members aged 30 and older, with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth saying the policy is intended to strengthen combat readiness.
Announcing the programme earlier this month, Hegseth said it would help ensure troops remained “strong, resilient and capable”. He argued that the demands of modern warfare required “maximum psychological and mental readiness”.
He also stressed that the initiative had “nothing to do with artificial enhancement”.
Male hormone decline is a global issue that has raised concerns in many other countries including China, where some experts argue a long-term shift in hormone levels could affect the future of military strategy.
“From now on, it will all be robot wars,” a urologist at Shanghai First People’s Hospital, one of mainland China’s top-tier hospitals, told the South China Morning Post.“No matter how developed the muscles of carbon-based life forms are, they can’t defeat robots,” said the doctor, who asked to remain anonymous due to the sensitivity of the subject matter.AdvertisementSelect VoiceSelect Speed00:0000:001.00x