Yan Wang told Radiolab that octopus mothers die after they reproduce as part of a fixed life plan. A young octopus grows and eats constantly, finds a mate, and then decides when to fertilize her eggs. Once she lays them she stops feeding entirely and stays with them, and she dies around the time the eggs hatch.
“The female can essentially decide when she wants to fertilize her eggs.” Yan Wang · at 12:06 — open in the transcript →
Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on Radiolab (2026-10-23). Read the whole episode summary →