S2-5 The Science of Tits

Ever wondered why mammals are called mammals? Spoiler: it’s all about the milk. In this episode of Sciencetits, we venture into the evolutionary origins of the mammary gland. We trace the timeline back to when glands first started secreting nutritious goo and as the theory goes not just for offspring, long before marketing made cleavage a cultural phenomenon.Where did milk come from? Turns out, it wasn’t invented by cows—it likely began as a skin secretion to keep eggs moist (talk about multitasking). Over millions of years, evolution said, “Let’s make this dinner, for the kids” and voilà: lactation.But here’s the kicker—why do humans have breasts that stick around even when we’re not nursing? Most mammals only flaunt them during feeding season. We explore theories ranging from sexual selection (thanks, Darwin) to fat storage and signaling fertility. It’s science, it’s history, and yes, it’s a little cheeky. Tune in for an episode that proves evolution has a sense of humor—and a soft spot for mammary innovation.As always if you have questions or suggestions please get in touch!Our email address: [email protected] us on all the socials!Instagram and Tiktok- @sciencetitspodBlueSky - @sciencetitspod.bsky.socialContent outlined and presented by Brenda Finney and Frances Hall. Music from audiojungle.net – Konstantin KasyanovLinks/Refrences:Oftedal, OT. The Evolution of Milk Secretion and its Ancient Origins. Animal, 6:3, 355-368, 2012Capuco, AV and Akers RM. The Origin and Evolution of Lactation. J. Biol, 8:37, 2009thenode.biologists.com, Exploring Mammary Gland Development and Evolution with Organoid TechnologyPawlowski, B and Zelazniewicz, A. The evolution of perennially enlarged breasts in women: a critical review and a novel hypothesis, Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc, 96:6, 2021As always if you have questions or suggestions please get in touch! Email: [email protected] & Tiktok- @sciencetitspodBlueSky - @sciencetitspod.bsky.socialContent outlined and presented by Brenda Finney and Frances Hall. Music from audiojungle.net – Konstantin Kasyanov Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.