Study Finds that the Scent of Tears Decreases Male Aggression

Get ready to be amazed – new research showcases the power of human tears! According to a new study published Thursday, human tears contain a chemical signal that reduces brain activity linked to aggression.

This fascinating research was carried out by the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and appeared in PLOS Biology, a highly respected US science journal. And here’s the kicker – it involved female tears, as women generously made themselves available as donors. The researchers believe it probably isn’t a sex-dependent effect, so hold on to your seats, folks!

And hold on tight, because there’s more: did you know that numerous studies have shown rodent tears contain chemicals serving as social signals emitted on demand? Just think – female mice tears reduce fighting among males and subordinate male mole rats use their own tears to protect themselves from attacks by dominant males. Amazing, right?

So how did the researchers test whether similar effects occurred in humans? Well, they first exposed 25 male volunteers to either “emotional” tears or to saline without telling them which was which – tricky, right? The tears were obtained from six female volunteers who watched sad films in isolation as they collected the liquid in a vial as it trickled down their cheeks. Intriguing stuff!

“When we looked for volunteers who could donate tears, we found mostly women, because for them, it’s much more socially acceptable to cry,” said Ph.D. student Shani Agron, the team leader. And clearly, this decision led to some amazing discoveries, as you’ll soon find out!

Curious what the results were after the men sniffed the tears? Well, their aggressive behavior in a computer game dropped a whopping 43.7 percent! Now, that’s a significant decrease, wouldn’t you say? So did the scientists find out what was going on? Read on to find out more!

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