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NEW RESEARCH HAS pointed to why women say they could “gobble up” a baby – they smell good enough to eat.
The research, conducted by scientists in Montreal, Canada, found that there are chemical signals for communication between a mother and her child.
The odour of newborns, which is part of these signals, activates a reward circuit in the mother’s brain. These circuits are especially activated when a person eats while being very hungry but also in a craving addict receiving their drug.
Researcher at the University of Montreal, Johannes Frasnelli said it is “in fact, the sating of desire”.
It appears this connection is stronger in women who are mothers themselves, though all women are susceptible to new baby odour, the research found.
Two groups of women were presented with odours of others’ newborns and were subjected to brain imaging tests.
The odours of the newborns were collected from their pyjamas two days after birth, which we’re willing to admit sounds a bit strange, but it’s all in the name of science.
Although the women in both groups perceived the odour of newborns with the same intensity, brain imaging showed greater activation in the circuits of mothers compared to the women who had never given birth.
“This circuit makes us desire certain foods and causes addiction to tobacco and other drugs,” said the researcher. “Not all odours trigger this reaction. Only those associated with reward, such as food or satisfying a desire, cause this activation.”
For the research team, these results show that the odour of newborns undoubtedly plays a role in the development of motivational and emotional responses between mother and child by eliciting maternal care functions such as breastfeeding and protection.
Researchers said there are still questions about whether the reaction of mothers is a result of a change related to childbirth or if it is specific to mothers as men were not part of the experiment.
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Slow down and stop tailgating
That bloody junction full of assh#les not able to drive properly and bloody Fingal county council taking 2 years to build a 3rd lane which is prob costing them more than the original stretch of 2 lane motorway when they should have built 3 lanes originally! gobsh*tes!!!!
Every morning some ass tailgates me, I’m doing the speed limit and I’m not breaking it to get out of some clowns way. What do you do? I know what I want to do, slam on the brakes and crease them, but I won’t. Any ideas.
@Gav. A tip I got a long time ago was to wash your windows. The spray from your car means the person behind you has to lift off to clean his windows also. Works in the majority of cases.
Gav…once you are in the left lane you are fine but if someone faster than you is behind you in the right lane then you should move aside.
Which lane are you in when you make this very resolute decision not to get out of the way?
It’s blatantly obvious which lane he is in. Why would anybody tailgate somebody in the left lane? They wouldn’t. They’d be gating him in the right hand lane.
Left lane or right lane you shouldnt be breaking the speed limit to overtake someone, your only allowed to overtake providing your doing the speed limit.
So you’re a vigilante then Aaron? You enforce the speed limits? You’ve also never sped? If somebody wants to get by, let them by. If somebody is speeding, let the Gardai / Traffic vans take care of them.
Where exactly did I say I was a vigilante or say that I enforced other people to stop speeding?? All I stated was the rules of the road, your getting very aggrevated about the situation so your obviously a person who speeds all the time and thinks you have the right to do so. I very rarely speed, I usually stick to the speed limit of each road im on with my cruise control on, watching people like you fly past causing accidents but never injuring yourself but killing other road users
“Left lane or right lane you shouldnt be breaking the speed limit to overtake someone, your only allowed to overtake providing your doing the speed limit.”
You’re not meant to J walk either but we all do it. Where did you say you were a vigilante? You didn’t but if you hog the right hand lane at the speed limit because “others shouldn’t be speeding” then that’s exactly what you are. Lane 2 is a lane for passing. It’s not there for you and your cruise control to cruise in. If you want to cruise the bog off into lane 1 and use it there.
Yes, I do speed. Anybody who says that they don’t is telling lies. No, I don’t sit in lane 2 and slow people down to the “speed limit” because it’s none of my business what speed people do. As for your other assertions of my driving style, I am point free, crash free and haven’t managed to kill anybody in the 13 years I have been driving. I also cover 60k Miles annually so my chances of doing any of the above would be quite high. Maybe it’s because I am realist when I drive and I don’t try and enforce the “rules of the road” like you. :)
See there you go again saying im trying to enforce something when I dont, your just trying to make an excuse for your illegal driving habits, speed if you want to speed, do what ever you want in your car, again all I stated to you was the rules of the road and you got aggrevated by it, maybe a road rage class would help you calm your driving habits, you can keep your smiley face and take my middle finger with it
Are you just choosing to ignore my point for a reason?
I am being aggravated by nothing.
You’re quoting the rules of the road as am I. Use lane 2 to pass and lane 1 to cruise. Is there any element to this that you don’t fully comprehend and would like me to explain to you?
Niall – you knew by my leading question where I was going with my post – we actually agree to a large degree and are on the same side, especially on the law/rules of the road element of the RH lane only being an over taking lane but look at your response to me above – you’re far too aggressive man – chillax – who’d want to engage with you with that style of yours?!?
Sort out the road works and there will be no problem. It’s taken long enough a disgrace.
This is the 2nd accident at junction 4 M1 southbound in 2 weeks! Drivers, please take extra care.
At least 3 cars looked damaged but 5 were stopped. Sooner those roadworks are finished the better. Lethal!
I presume you weren’t driving yourself when you passed? Otherwise you were rubber necking and you’re half the problem :)
Hard not to see what is happening 6ft from you when your moving at 10kmph
Most mornings its before the motorway, single lane, limit is 60,urban area. I know the rules of the road. But still every thick is in a mad rush to work. Pain in the bum. The one time I put my foot down a squad was waiting. Most mornings ye can’t win.
it’d be even harder if your eyes were on the road. :) Don’t attempt to defend rubber necking.
There were 3 cars involved.
2 Fire appliances and 1 ambulance attended the scene
1 person was injured and removed to Beaumont hospital
have your say