E25 The Grandmother Hypothesis

Join hosts Zabrina, Kori and Jen while they explore the fascinating science behind menopause, the grandmother hypothesis, and the role of elders in human evolution and society. Discover how ancient wisdom and modern research reveal the importance of community, memory, and intergenerational support.   Show Notes Takeaways: \- The grandmother hypothesis and its role in human evolution \- The rarity and significance of menopause in nature \- The importance of elders in traditional societies \- Research on hunter-gatherer communities and food sharing \- The evolution of human babies and cooperative breeding \- The discovery of menopause in chimpanzees and implications \- The cultural significance of the crone and aging women \- The impact of modern society on intergenerational support \- The importance of community and collective caregiving \- The value of wisdom and oral tradition in societies   Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to the grandmother hypothesis and its significance 02:13 Menopause in nature and its evolutionary mystery 03:09 The role of grandmothers in child survival and knowledge transfer 08:16 The evolution of helpless human babies and cooperative breeding 09:50 Sarah Hardy's research on helplessness and brain development 12:19 Humans as cooperative breeders and the village concept 20:32 The role of older female orcas and other species in survival 21:50 Menopause in other species and its evolutionary roots 24:29 Chimpanzees and the evolution of menopause 26:33 Reevaluating the grandmother hypothesis with new evidence 27:10 The societal impact of losing intergenerational support 30:08 Trusting intuition and passing down wisdom 32:02 The importance of cultural transmission and oral knowledge 37:11 The cultural significance of the crone and aging women 40:23 The role of elders as community guides and memory keepers 42:36 The value of women as knowledge keepers beyond motherhood 43:21 The indigenous perspective on elders and community support 45:46 Raising children in community and the importance of collective effort 46:00 Conclusion: Wisdom, community, and the future of society   References: Dunsworth, H. M., et al. (2012). Metabolic hypothesis for human altriciality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 109(38), 15212–15216. Hawkes, K. (2009). Evaluating grandmother effects. American Anthropologist, 111(2), 230–233.  Hrdy, S. B. (2009). Mothers and others: The evolutionary origins of mutual understanding. Harvard University Press.  Nattrass, S., et al. (2019). Postreproductive killer whale grandmothers improve the survival of their grand offspring. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(52), 26669–26673.  Wood, B. M., et al. (2023). Demographic and hormonal evidence for menopause in wild chimpanzees. Science, 382(6669), eadd5473.    Contact Information: Find Murder of Crones on You Tube, Tik Tok, Facebook and Instagram.  Email : [mofcrones@gmail.com](mailto:mofcrones@gmail.com)   Special Thanks to www.dinnissendesign.com for Zabrina’s use of their show room for recording. Check them out for all your interior design needs. Dinnissen Design is located in Vancouver and Castlegar BC.