Often called the “love hormone” or the “cuddle hormone,” oxytocin is produced in the brain’s hypothalamus and acts as a chemical messenger. It promotes feelings of love, bonding and well-being. Here are surprising ways to stimulate the release of oxytocin — without a hug.

The concept of “genius” is exclusionary, inconsistently applied, and a license to behave badly. Why can’t we give it up?

Congrats to the 2025 cohort of McKnight Scholars! www.mcknight.org/news-ideas/2...

@natashaobrown.bsky.social !!!! Congratulations!!!!! So proud of you!!!! Thank you HHMI for investing in young talent at State Universities!!!! www.hhmi.org/programs/fre...

I’m so honored to be selected as both a 2025 McKnight Scholar and 2025 HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar. And I couldn’t be prouder to share these honors with awesome @ucdavis.bsky.social colleagues 💙💛💙💛 health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...

I’m thrilled to have been selected as an HHMI Freeman Hrabowski Scholar, along with my wonderful #PMB colleague @doctheagrif.bsky.social Excited for what’s to come - we’re just getting started! 🚀 @ucdavis.bsky.social @ucd-physiology.bsky.social health.ucdavis.edu/news/headlin...

So proud of my postdoc! She received official notice that her K99 will be awarded! That’s 3/3 postdocs with transition awards since we opened our lab in 2018! Thank you to the funding agencies for supporting the next generation!!!!

(And my DL works have gone on to be my most cited, fwiw). Don’t be afraid to chase your ideas/passions!

Carl Sagan in 1986 on the problems with media and science literacy.

SfN elections close SOON — 2P PT/5 PM ET today! Ellen Lumpkin and Irene Tracey are both nominated for council position. Vote to ensure that strong voices represent our sensory neuroscience community. Vote at www.directvote.net/SfN/

The feeling of a hug comes from the pressure and vibration of millions of nerve endings.

😱 😱 😱 Major life goal achieved, though not for the reasons I’d hoped. I will be on @thisamericanlife.org tomorrow. 🧪 www.thisamericanlife.org/859/chaos-gr...

You were hoping for a complete fiscal year.... I was hoping for human decency....

I am extremely pleased to share this feature articulating why I have lost my sanity lately. www.science.org/content/arti...

having a look at the 'ol summary statement

Early childhood education researchers — it’s a good time to write home about the value of public broadcasting for preschool reading, school readiness, and early math skills 🧪🍎. Start an op-ed campaign. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_...

Our paper is out in Nature. By examining various inputs to the motor cortex during learning, we found that thalamic inputs learn to activate the cortical neurons encoding the movement being learned. Tour de force by Assaf in collab with Felix and Marcus. Congrats! www.nature.com/articles/s41...

NIH termination notices arriving in my inbox....

The plots of disaster movies that portray the end of civilization often begin with high-level Government Officials ignoring the warnings of Scientists. One of several lesson learned from the 2.5 hour @Netflix Documentary — Don’t Look Up (2021).

“I feel a little less despair” ❤️‍🩹 “I feel more hopeful & inspired” 🙌🏾 “It’s good to know that other people are still fighting so I can too” ✊🏾 -feedback I received from grad students and postdocs after giving my talk at Rutgers ✨

Congratulations to the 4 exceptional senior undergrads who defended their thesis in my lab: from left to right, Selorna, Misha, PK and Josephine, together with their postdoctoral mentors Zuri Sullivan, @dingliu.bsky.social and @mostafizurrahman.bsky.social (Tricia Horvath in maternity leave)

Enjoyed my first times in Chicago and @usasp.bsky.social this past week! So much exciting work happening in the pain field, I have a feeling that the groundwork for some fantastic collaborations was laid this week!

Here’s just the most recent of the many NCCIH studies of #pain (from colleague @alexchesler.bsky.social published last week in Nature). Nearly 50% of NCCIH funding goes to studying pain, with a focus on nonpharmacological treatments and mechanisms. The proposed budget eliminates NCCIH.

Gave a talk at my parents’ retirement community to describe how science is done, and what is at stake. There was a ton of interest, and anyone can do this. Get the word out about how science affects everyone. I’m happy to share slides with anyone who asks- just get in touch! youtu.be/BY_SFgi-Cig

Would love to get the protocol for the Ank-G stain! Looks beautiful!!!!

These days, I don't take science or scientific gatherings for granted. And when we do get together, I try not to slip into constant complaint mode. I really enjoyed speaking at Cedars-Sinai in LA today and connecting with students and professors!

Scientists are shining a spotlight on the weird and wonderful organisms that inhabit the mysterious Mariana Trench. scim.ag/41KQdCX

I had such a great and fun dinner after my talk with the crowd below @ardemp.bskyverified.social @antihebbiann.bsky.social @xinjin.bsky.social and Lisa Stowers, my thanks to all for such enjoyable evening!..🙏

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