In the northern hemisphere, days are getting shorter and temperatures are dropping – autumn has arrived. A common sign that winter is coming is trees losing their leaves. But, did you know that autumn also sparks changes in animals’ sexual behaviour – including ours?
For example, humans actually have a breeding season. The hormone testosterone surges in autumn, particularly in males, linked to a decrease in daylight and increased social activity indoors. This leads to more conceptions around November and December, with a subsequent peak in births the following August and September, nine months after the hormone surge. No wonder the most common birthday worldwide is September 26.
