Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle

Sponsored by the American Physiological Society

Tag Archive for ‘parent’

Women tend to “mother” their pet cats

Often dubbed the “love hormone”, oxytocin is more than just responsible for pair bonding and feelings of trust. It is quite well-known by mothers who have induced labor (ever heard of Pitocin?) and is responsible for milk ejection during breastfeeding as well as maternal behaviors.    Given the role of oxytocin in human social interactions and relationships, as well as studies showing its involvement in human attachments to pet dogs, […]

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The ultimate fathers

On this Father’s Day, I would like to pay tribute to a few of nature’s most ‘devoted’ fathers. Take the emperor penguin for example. If you have ever watched the movie March of the Penguins, or even Happy Feet, then you know these avian fathers are rock stars of parenting. Males are responsible for keeping the eggs warm for two months while the females go away to feed. They do […]

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