PostHole
Compose
Login
Science of Dad
Whilst most men become fathers, and men make up roughly half the parental population, the vast majority of scientific research has focused on the mother.
But studies have started to reveal the impact of fatherhood on both dads themselves and on their children. We're seeing how fathers play a crucial role in children's behaviour, happiness, and even cognitive skills.
Oscar Duke, a doctor, new dad and author of How To Be A Dad, discovers how pregnancy, birth and childcare affect the father, bringing about profound physiological and hormonal changes. Only 5% of mammal fathers invest in their offspring, and human males have evolved to undergo key changes when their children are born.
Involved fathers can expect their levels of the 'love hormone' oxytocin to rise, nature's way of helping parents bond with their children. At birth, a dad's testosterone levels dramatically fall, increasing affection and responsiveness, and discouraging polygamy.
With more fathers taking on a hands-on role in bringing up their children, how can these new discoveries about the science of dad help support them, and inform social and healthcare policies?
Presented by Dr Oscar Duke and produced by Melanie Brown and Cathy Edwards
Accessibility links
BBC World Service
Discovery
- Discovery Home
- Episodes
- Galleries
- Podcast
- Join us on Facebook
Main content
Listen now
Science of Dad
Discovery
Dr Oscar Duke discovers how pregnancy, birth and childcare affect the father, bringing about profound physiological and hormonal changes
Whilst most men become fathers, and men make up roughly half the parental population, the vast majority of scientific research has focused on the mother.
But studies have started to reveal the impact of fatherhood on both dads themselves and on their children. We're seeing how fathers play a crucial role in children's behaviour, happiness, and even cognitive skills.
Oscar Duke, a doctor, new dad and author of How To Be A Dad, discovers how pregnancy, birth and childcare affect the father, bringing about profound physiological and hormonal changes. Only 5% of mammal fathers invest in their offspring, and human males have evolved to undergo key changes when their children are born.
Involved fathers can expect their levels of the 'love hormone' oxytocin to rise, nature's way of helping parents bond with their children. At birth, a dad's testosterone levels dramatically fall, increasing affection and responsiveness, and discouraging polygamy.
With more fathers taking on a hands-on role in bringing up their children, how can these new discoveries about the science of dad help support them, and inform social and healthcare policies?
Presented by Dr Oscar Duke and produced by Melanie Brown and Cathy Edwards
###
####
Higher quality (128kbps)
Lower quality (64kbps)
Available now
27 minutes
Last on
Sun 17 May 2020
23:32GMT
BBC World Service except South Asia
More episodes
Previous
Ignaz Semmelweiss: The hand washer
Next
See all episodes from Discovery
Broadcasts
Mon 11 May 2020
19:32GMT
BBC World Service
Tue 12 May 2020
01:32GMT
BBC World Service
Tue 12 May 2020
06:32GMT
BBC World Service
Space
The eclipses, spacecraft and astronauts changing our view of the Universe
The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry
[The Curious Cases of Rutherford and Fry]
A pair of scientific sleuths answer your perplexing questions. Ask them anything!
Podcast
Discovery
Explorations in the world of science.
Similar programmes
By genre:
- Factual > Science & Nature
By format:
Magazines & Reviews
[BBC World Service homepage]
News in more than 40 languages