What does it really mean to be a dad? In the animal world, fathers have long been painted as aggressive or absent. At best providers and protectors, but certainly not caregivers. And yet for every tale of a lion or chimp dad eating its own young (yikes!), there’s another creature who tells a sweeter story. 

Two HUMAN dads bring us on this DADventure: Dr. Eduardo Fernandez-Duque, who has spent decades studying owl monkey dads in the forests of Argentina, and Michael Feigelson, who once worried he wasn't cut out for the softer side of parenting. 

They introduce us to seahorse dads who get pregnant, poison dart frog dads who give piggyback rides to their tadpoles, Darwin frogs who swallow their eggs to keep them safe, burying beetles who build "corpse cribs," jacana birds who do all the egg-sitting, and stickleback fish who construct intricate underwater nests for their young. Along the way, we learn that nature doesn’t offer just one model of fatherhood. Alongside Mother Nature... there just might be a Father Nature, too.

Special thanks to the Van Leer Foundation for the support of this episode. 

Resources on Animal fatherhood

• Eduardo Duque's Owl Monkey Project: https://www.owlmonkeyproject.com/
• An interview with Eduardo in Yale News
• Lauren O’Connell lab – frog behaviour
• Short explainer: frog parenting research
• Stickleback fish parenting study (Alison Bell)
• Alison Bell lab video

Human fatherhood 

• Fathertime by Sarah Blaffer Hrdy
• ECM interview: evolution of “man the nurturer”
• Lee Gettler – biology of fatherhood (video)
• Lee Gettler article in Early Childhood Matters
• Darby Saxbe book: Dad Brain
• Darby Saxbe Article in Early Childhood Matters

Talks, films & convenings

• Yale Conference on Fatherhood
• Live Recording of Yale Conference: 
• Fathers and Fatherhood: From Molecules to Modern Families
• Fathertime documentary

Campaigns & global perspectives

• Equimundo's State of World's fathers report
• Men Care Changemakers Journey
• Parenting Out Loud (Elliot Rae)

Terrestrials was created by Lulu Miller with WNYC studios. This episode was produced by Tanya Chawla, with sound design by Mira Burt-Wintonick. Sarah Sandbach is our Executive Producer. Our team also includes Ana González, Alan Goffinski, Natalia Ramirez, and Joe Plourde. Fact checking by Angely Mercado.

HEY GROWN-UPS!
Love the show? Leave us a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and review on your podcast app—it helps curious listeners find us!

Terrestrials is made possible in part by listeners like you. Support the show by joining The Explorers Club —and we’ll send you a special puzzle as a thank-you gift from our team!

We want to hear from you! Share your thoughts about Terrestrials with us.

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter for bite-sized essays, activities, and ways to connect with the show.
Follow us on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok for behind-the-scenes extras and more.

Listen to original music from Terrestrials on Spotify, Apple Music, or our music page.

Got a badgering question for the team? Email us at terrestrials@wnyc.org or submit a voice memo with your name, age, and your question using this form!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.