Skip to main content

Improbable Research Podcast, Installment 1: How Many Kids Can 1 Man Father in His Lifetime?

A medieval Moroccan emperor claimed a whopping 888—but is that even possible?

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American



Improbable Research Podcast, Installment 1


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


Every day was Father's Day for Ismael the Bloodthirsty, the emperor of Morocco, who reportedly fathered 888 children. But in this inaugural episode, Ig Nobel Prize-winning biologist Lisa Oberzaucher tells why Moulay quite possibly had lots more than that. Recorded at Imperial College London.

PEOPLE IN THIS EPISODE

Marc Abrahams, founder of the Ig Nobel Prize ceremony, and editor of the magazine Annals of Improbable Research

Dr. Elizabeth Oberzaucher, Ig Nobel Prize winner (mathematics, 2015), biologist based at the University of Vienna, Austria and at Ulm University, Germany.

RELATED STUDY

"The Case of Moulay Ismael-Fact or Fancy?" Elisabeth Oberzaucher and Karl Grammer, PLOS ONE, vol. 9, no. 2, 2014, e85292.