Anna Machin, Evolutionary Anthropologist, at the University of Oxford, discussing "What's the point of dads?", on the Humans Stage, at New Scientist Live 2019


If you believe the media hype, advances in fertility treatments and the emancipation of women mean that men are of little use as parents beyond the act of conception itself. Add to this the plethora of adverts that depict dad as incapable of looking after himself let alone anyone else and it would seem dads are redundant. But take a look at the dads you know. Is this really the whole story? Join evolutionary anthropologist and Life of Dad author Anna Machin as she takes you on a journey through the evolution and science of fatherhood. Understand why human dads are so rare in the animal kingdom, why losing a bit of testosterone is crucial to dad’s parenting success, how and why dad’s brain has evolved to get a kick out of playing with his kids, how what type of dad he will be is partly written in his genes and why dads are the key parent when it comes to protecting their child against poor mental health. Anna Machin is an evolutionary anthropologist, writer and broadcaster whose job is to answer the question ?What is Love?? She aims to reveal the science behind our closest relationships by exploring the genetics, neuroscience, behaviour and psychology which underpin the bonds we have with our parents, children, family and friends.


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