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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Ian Sample Science editor

Human tears contain substance that eases aggression, says study

Woman with a tear rolling down cheek
Previous research found that sniffing women’s tears reduced male testosterone. Photograph: RunPhoto/Getty Images

Human tears carry a substance that dampens down aggression, according to researchers, who believe the drops may have evolved over time to protect wailing babies from harm.

Sniffing emotional tears from women reduced male aggression by more than 40% in computerised tests, and prompted corresponding changes in the brain, though the scientists behind the study think all human tears would have a similar effect.

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