/oss/taxonomy/term/156/all en /oss/article/history-general-science/phenylethylamine-said-stroke-fire-love-here-comes-water-bucket <p>American humorist James Thurber reputedly once remarked that “love is a strange bewilderment which overtakes one person on account of another person.” Anyone who has ever been in love will agree. That strange bewilderment can take many forms, ranging from butterflies in the stomach to hours of mind-dominating thoughts and heart palpitations at the prospect of an encounter. Clearly, the body’s chemistry is being affected. But how? Is there a chemical trigger for that emotional rush?</p> Wed, 14 Feb 2024 13:02:53 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 9832 at /oss /oss/article/history-general-science/want-cuddle-personality-likely-get-you-further-oxytocin <p>Why do people cuddle? According to a slew of media reports, that answer lies in oxytocin, dubbed either the “cuddle chemical” or the “love hormone.” English pharmacologist and neurophysiologist Sir Henry Hallett Dale was the first to isolate oxytocin from pituitary extract in 1921, eventually receiving the 1936 Nobel Prize in medicine and physiology for the discovery. Dale’s work on oxytocin was prompted by his interest in the ergot fungus, extracts of which had a long history of use for stimulating the contractions of the pregnant uterus. The question was why.</p> Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:34:54 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8948 at /oss /oss/article/nutrition/phenylethylamine-chemical-love <p>The aphrodisiac story of chocolate is an ancient one, going back all the way to 1519 and the first visit of the Spanish explorer Hernando Cortes to Mexico. Cortes found much to his liking here, in particular the Aztec princess Dona Marina. Apparently the affection was returned because the princess introduced Cortes to a drink made from the pods of a tree which the Aztecs called "chocolatl," or "food of the gods." The concoction was also laced with dried chili peppers, and as Dona Marina said, would "stimulate amorous adventures."</p> Thu, 13 Feb 2020 21:22:50 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 8110 at /oss /oss/article/nutrition/counting-chocolate <p>Another Valentine’s Day has come and gone and you are probably fed up with all the stories about chocolate that the media feels obliged to trot out at this time every year. There are the usual stories about the Aztec king Montezuma enhancing his libido with chocolate and about phenylethylamine in chocolate inducing people to fall in love. Actually, the only thing chocolate makes people fall in love with is chocolate!</p> Fri, 15 Feb 2019 17:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7587 at /oss /oss/article/health/searching-passion <p>Humans are absolutely passionate when it comes to searching for passion. The variety of substances that have been tried over the years to provoke sexual desire is truly astounding. Bird’s nest soup and ginseng were ancient Chinese favourites, while the Kama Sutra, compiled between 100 and 300 AD, recommended an elixir made of honey, milk, liquorice and fennel juice. Pliny, the Roman philosopher, believed that consuming a lizard drowned in urine had an aphrodisiac effect on the person who donated the fluid. People who were adverse to lizard consumption could resort to dining on the right lob</p> Wed, 06 Feb 2019 21:03:54 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7575 at /oss /oss/article/technology-quackery/cracked-science-10-love-your-genes <p><div class="media-youtube-video media-element file-default media-youtube-1"> <iframe class="media-youtube-player" id="media-youtube-uzv8rvuddi8" width="640" height="390" title="Love In Your Genes (CS10)" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/uzv8rvuDdI8?wmode=opaque&controls=&enablejsapi=1&modestbranding=1&playerapiid=media-youtube-uzv8rvuddi8&origin=https%3A//www.mcgill.ca&rel=0" name="Love In Your Genes (CS10)" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen>Video of Love In Your Genes (CS10)</iframe> </div> </p> Thu, 10 May 2018 18:15:00 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 7075 at /oss /oss/article/general-science-history/sex-and-nothing-show-it <p>Could your partner ever convince you that you were cheating on them when you had no recollection of the on-going affair?</p> <p><span>A healthy human brain is capable of significant backflips and even some interesting delusions. In today’s political climate, these tricks of the brain have become more and more obvious, as strong beliefs can distort the information that reaches our mind.</span></p> <p>But an unhealthy brain can demonstrate some truly amazing feats.</p> Thu, 12 Oct 2017 14:03:16 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 4607 at /oss