The new research, which tracked the development of over 600 infants, found that higher levels of chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in a pregnant mother's urine more than tripled the chances that a young boy would develop autism symptoms by age two.

Worse, those same boys were six times more likely to be diagnosed with autism by age 11 — compared to those whose mothers had lower BPA levels during pregnancy.

BPA, a chemical intended to harden plastics and prevent metals from rusting, among other uses, has also been linked to higher risks of obesity, asthma, diabetes, and heart diseases across over two decades of increasing scrutiny on the compound.