The Menopause Mystery

117 snips

Aug 8, 2025

Guest

Kevin Langergraber

Guest

Heather Radke

Heather Radke, a contributing editor and insightful storyteller, discusses the surprising role of menopause in killer whales and chimpanzees. She reveals how older female whales support family pods post-reproduction, challenging traditional views of women's worth. Kevin Langergraber, a chimpanzee researcher, shares captivating insights on a post-reproductive chimp named Garbo, highlighting parallels in aging species. They explore the evolution of menopause, redefine female value, and celebrate the wisdom gained in later life.

Ask episode

AI Snips

Chapters

Books

Transcript

Episode notes

INSIGHT

Whale Poop Revealed Orca Menopause

Deborah Giles used whale feces to measure hormones and confirmed orca reproductive senescence.
That analysis showed older female orcas physiologically stop reproducing yet continue living for decades.

INSIGHT

Menopause Is An Evolutionary Puzzle

Menopause is evolutionarily puzzling because natural selection favors continued reproduction.
Lucy Cooke explains evolution generally disfavors loss of fertility, making post‑reproductive lifespan surprising.

INSIGHT

Menopause Existed Long Before Modern Life

Human long post‑reproductive life is not solely modern: many historical women lived decades past fertility.
Heather Radke clarifies average lifespans are skewed by infant and maternal mortality in averages.

Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode

Get the app

Until recently, scientists assumed humans were the only species in which females went through menopause, and lived a substantial part of their lives after they were no longer able to reproduce. And they had no idea why that happens, and why evolution wouldn’t push females to keep reproducing right up to the end of their lives. But after a close look at some whale poop, and a deep dive into chimp life, we find several new ways of thinking about menopause and the real purpose of this all too often overlooked second act of life.

Special thanks to Danielle Friedman, Rachel Gross, and Kate Radke.

EPISODE CREDITS:
Reported by - Heather Radke and Becca Bressler
Produced by - Sarah Qari and Becca Bressler
Fact-checking by - Emily Krieger
and Edited by - Becca Bressler

EPISODE CITATIONS:
Books -
Check out everything Heather Radke writes, including Butts: A Backstory, cause it’s all that good, here: Heather Radke (www.heatherradke.com).

Find any one of Lucy Cooke’s book, including Bitch:On the Female of the Species, here: Lucy Cooke (http://www.lucycooke.tv/)

And check out everything Caroline Paul has on offer, including Tough Broad, here: Caroline Paul (https://www.carolinepaul.com/)

Socials -
Heather Radke: https://www.instagram.com/radhradke
Lucy Cooke: https://www.instagram.com/luckycooke/

Audio:
Becca Bressler’s greatest hits-
Bloc Party
Our Stupid Little Bodies
Gigaverse

Radiolab | Lateral cuts -
Butt Stuff

Signup for our newsletter!! It includes short essays, recommendations, and details about other ways to interact with the show. Sign up (https://radiolab.org/newsletter)!

Radiolab is supported by listeners like you. Support Radiolab by becoming a member of The Lab (https://members.radiolab.org/) today.

Follow our show on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook @radiolab, and share your thoughts with us by emailing radiolab@wnyc.org.

Leadership support for Radiolab’s science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation. Foundational support for Radiolab was provided by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.