Fertility Cliff
Summary
In this year-end episode, hosts Molly Webster and Latif Nasser reflect on 2025’s top stories and urge listeners to support public media amid funding cuts. The main segment revisits a 2018 live event where Webster debunks the myth of a sharp "fertility cliff" at age 35. Using updated data from epidemiologist Lauren Wise, she explains that fertility declines gradually rather than abruptly, offering a more nuanced view of reproductive health.
Topics discussed
Sponsors and Radiolab intro
Year-end favorites and funding crisis
Donation appeal and gift options
The myth of the fertility cliff
Debunking old data with Danish studies
Sponsors: Progressive and Planet Money
North American fertility data and trends
Updated stats and male fertility decline
Final donation ask and holiday wishes
Staff credits and sponsors
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