173: REPLAY Why Do Women Go Through Menopause? with Dr Deena Emera

Send a textThis podcast originally ran on March 26th, 2025In this episode of the Hotflash inc Podcast, GenX journalist Ann Marie McQueen sits down with Dr Deena Emera, an evolutionary geneticist, senior scientist at the Buck Institute’s Buck Center for Healthy Aging in Women, and author of A Brief History of the Female Body: An Evolutionary Look at How and Why the Female Form Came to Be.Dr Emera’s research focuses on the genetic basis of reproductive longevity in mammals, and in this fascinating discussion, she breaks down the evolution of menopause, why female bodies age the way they do, and what modern science is uncovering about ovarian health and longevity.If you’ve ever wondered why menopause exists, how it evolved, and whether science will ever be able to delay or even prevent it, this episode is for you.Highlights:Understanding evolutionary biology (it's not boring, promise)The evolutionary mystery of menopauseWhat animals do go through menopause?Why all women didn't used to die at 50 (and what actually happened)How modern life has changed menopauseWhy Dr Emera needs bowhead whale ovariesCan we really end menopause?The truth about the Grandmother HypothesisQuote:"Menopause itself isn’t surprising – if you live long enough, you will run out of eggs. What’s unique about humans is that we have such a long post-reproductive life stage. That’s the real mystery we need to solve." – Dr Deena EmeraWhere to find Dr Emera:Instagram: @deenaemeraLinkedIn: Deena EmeraBuy her book: A Brief History of the Female Body – Available on AmazonThe Hotflash inc Podcast is:One of the Top 60 Menopause PodcastsIn the top 3% percentile on Listen Notes#1 on Goodpods’ Top 10 Women’s Health Podcasts listThis episode was originally sponsored by  Timeline Nutrition. Mitopure supports cellular energy and longevity. Visit https://shop.timeline.com/HOTFLASHINC where you can still grab 20% off with code HOTFLASHINCJoin the Hotflash inc perimenoposse: Web: hotflashinc.comNewsletter: Hotflash inc. on SubstackTikTok: @hotflashincInstagram: @hotflashincX: @hotflashinc Episode website: Hotflashinc Listen on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | YouTube | Substack See hotflashinc.com/privacy-policy for privacy information