logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2021
26m 9s

The Spermageddon is coming | Am I Normal...

TED
About this episode

"You should start thinking about kids at your age! Your biological clock is ticking!” When we talk about fertility, there's one section of the population that's consistently subjected to fear mongering: the people with the ovaries. But is that worry backed up by data? Should we be stressed out about sperm too? Scientist Joe Osmundson divulges his own fears and findings on the journey to save his sperm, and Mona breaks down the scientific, cultural, and psychological elements that have shaped the way we think and talk about fertility.

This is an episode of Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. For more episodes, follow Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi wherever you're listening to this.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Nov 3
Your vaccine questions, answered with Kizzmekia Corbett and Kelwalin Dhanasarnsombut
Shoshana shares two talks that address where vaccines come from, how they work, and why some people have become mistrustful of these treatments. First up: immunologist Kizzmekia Corbett answers your questions about how vaccines are developed. Then, researcher Kelwalin Dhanasarnso ... Show More
19m 28s
Oct 29
On Memories (1/5): Can we edit memories? | Amy Milton
Trauma and PTSD rewire your brain -- especially your memory -- and can unearth destructive emotional responses when stirred. Could we eliminate these triggers without erasing the memories themselves? Enter neurologist Amy Milton's mind-blowing, memory-editing clinical research po ... Show More
19m 40s
Oct 29
On Memories (2/5): Where does your sense of self come from? A scientific look | Anil Ananthaswamy
Our memories and bodies give us clues about who we are, but what happens when this guidance shifts? In this mind-bending talk, science writer Anil Ananthaswamy shares how the experiences of "altered selves" -- resulting from schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, foreign limb syndrome or ot ... Show More
16m 39s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2021
Am I Normal?: The Spermageddon is coming
"You should start thinking about kids at your age! Your biological clock is ticking!” When we talk about fertility, there's one section of the population that's consistently subjected to fear mongering: the people with the ovaries. But is that worry backed up by data? Should we b ... Show More
29m 11s
Mar 2024
TED's Sunday Pick: The Spermageddon is coming
Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Today: an episode from Am I Normal?, a podcast where endlessly curious data journalist Mona Chalabi dives into the numbers of our most pressing questions."You should start think ... Show More
30m 3s
Feb 2019
004: Age and Fertility
Join host Dr. Natalie Crawford as she talks about the number one question she gets asked as a fertility doctor: when should I have kids? Learn about your fertility, understand how age impacts reproduction, and discuss when an evaluation by a fertility specialist is recommended. E ... Show More
31m 59s
Mar 2023
The Science Of The Biological Clock (And What YOU Can Do About It)
<p>When you’re looking for a partner to have a family with, the pressure of the timeline imposed on you by your biological clock can make the whole process overwhelming. (Not to mention, when you’re fearful that time is running out, you can end up making bad dating choices.) In t ... Show More
1h 12m
Oct 2025
A Closer Look at Women's Health
If you’ve ever stressed about your biological clock or worried what your future fertility might look like, this episode is for you. I’m joined by Kirsten Karchmer, a reproductive health expert who’s worked with over 10,000 couples through infertility and founded Conceivable to ma ... Show More
40m 4s
Apr 2019
Fertility Cliff: Is It Real?
We’re often told to have kids quickly, before our biological clock strikes and we fall off the fertility cliff. This week we find out if that’s true for women or men. And if the cliff is real, can you do anything about it, like freezing your eggs? Plus, the sperm-aggedon! We spea ... Show More
41m 55s
Mar 2022
The Case for Freezing Your Eggs with Dr. Obehi Asemota
Getting pregnant can be a straight shot for some and a source of stress for others. Today on the pod, we talk with fertility specialist Dr. Obehi Asemota about her passion for helping families grow, the complexities of conception, the importance of thinking ahead if you see pregn ... Show More
34m 6s
Feb 2023
Not Ready For Kids
On this episode we talk about the fear and dilemma that so many women are facing around running out of time to have kids, when to have kids and if they even want to have kids at all. It's not an accident if so many people in our generation are genuinely feeling this, so how can w ... Show More
23m 5s
Oct 2020
Trying To Conceive
Should you have sex multiple times a day when you’re ovulating? Is there an ideal time of day? What about lube? And what are the best ways to track ovulation to hit baby bingo? From scheduling sex to cervical mucus, nothing is off-limits in this hilarious and informative mother-d ... Show More
37m 45s