134 | Robert Sapolsky on Why We Behave the Way We Do
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas
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Environment Shapes the Fetus
The environment begins affecting us well before birth, as fetal development is influenced by maternal conditions, including nutrition and exposure to toxins. Research highlights the impact of severe malnutrition during pregnancy, exemplified by the Dutch Hunger Winter of 1944, where fetuses in the third trimester adapted to expect scarcity by developing tendencies to store food and retain salt. This phenomenon demonstrates the profound, long-lasting effects of prenatal experiences on lifelong health and behavior.
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