"The Female Origin of Species": Cat Bohannon, author of "Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution," dives into the long-ignored aspects of the female body's influence on human evolution. Exploring the uniqueness and significance of reproductive organs, liver, and adipose tissue, they discuss the relationship between sexuality and reproduction. Topics such as menopause in Homo sapiens and the process of selecting a reader for the book are also discussed, providing fascinating insights into the evolutionary journey of the female body.
The female body has played a significant role in driving 200 million years of human evolution, which has been largely overlooked in scientific research and literature.
Menopause has both societal and biological benefits, including knowledge transfer and the survival of social groups.
There is a need to acknowledge and study the unique traits and functions of the female body, challenging historical gender bias in biology and fostering a more comprehensive understanding of sex differences in evolution and health.
Deep dives
The Evolutionary Significance of Female Bodies
The podcast explores how the female body has driven 200 million years of human evolution. It emphasizes that female bodies have often been overlooked in scientific research and literature, and aims to shed light on the important role they play in shaping our species.
Exploring the Concept of Menopause
The podcast delves into the topic of menopause and its significance in female biology. It highlights the societal and biological benefits of menopause, including the role it plays in knowledge transfer and the survival of social groups.
The Importance of Addressing Gender Bias in Biology
The podcast discusses the historical gender bias in biology and the need to acknowledge and study the unique traits and functions of the female body. It calls for a more comprehensive understanding of sex differences in biology and the impact they have on evolution and health.
The Importance of Gynecology in Human Evolution
Gynecology is a crucial field that has allowed humans to overcome the challenges of reproducing and delivering babies. Compared to other primates, human pregnancies, births, and recoveries are longer, harder, and more prone to complications. The obstetric dilemma, which refers to the difficulty of fitting a large baby through a narrow birth canal, contributes to these challenges. Additionally, the invasive nature of human placentas leads to complications such as hemorrhage. However, humans have developed various strategies to mitigate these risks. Behavioral workarounds such as birth clustering and extended breastfeeding help regulate fertility and space out pregnancies. Pharmaceutical interventions, derived from plants, have also been used to regulate fertility in primates. Gynecology, as a field, involves not only medical interventions but also cultural practices that support reproductive success and survival. The understanding of gynecology and its importance in human evolution highlights the need for continued research and support in this field.
The Evolutionary Significance of Menopause in Homo sapiens
Menopause in Homo sapiens is a result of various mechanisms that allow for longer lifespans. Primates, including humans, have ovaries that age and senesce over time. While menopause may not have been selected for directly, it becomes evident as humans live longer. The ovaries continue to age at a similar rate to other primates, but the rest of the body has evolved mechanisms to resist aging and prolong life. Menopause is a consequence of this disparity, as the aging ovaries cannot keep up with the extended lifespan of humans. This insight challenges the assumption that menopause is unique to humans and provides a new perspective on the evolutionary significance of this stage of reproductive life. The study of menopause offers a deeper understanding of how biological processes operate at different rates and reveals the complexities of human evolution.
How did the female body drive 200 million years of human evolution? And why the hell are we just finding out about it now?
That's today's big question, and my guest is Cat Bohannon.
Cat is the author of the incredible new book, “Eve: How the Female Body Drove 200 Million Years of Human Evolution”. Cat is also a researcher and author with a Ph.D. from Columbia University in the evolution of narrative in cognition. Cat's essays and poems have appeared in Scientific American, Mind, Science Magazine, The Best American, Non Required Reading, The Georgia Review, Story Collider, and Poets Against the War.
Look, for a very long time, scientists ignored everything about the female body, except for how to have sex with it. And even that, they barely understood (and still don't). They didn't think or care to ask helpful questions like: How did we get here? What else about the female biological body is different from the traditional male body?Why might those differences matter? And how might they have gotten us to where we are today, atop the animal kingdom, for better or worse, and a huge outlier in about 500 different ways from even our closest primate cousins?
Why are we so weird?
Cat's book asks all of these questions, and I genuinely cannot wait for you to listen to this conversation, and read the book.
