Why We're Addicted to Baby Smiles

Most moms just can't get enough of seeing their babies smile--and now there's a new study to back it up. When a team of scientists monitored the brains of 28 new mothers, they found that a specific part of the brain became active when the moms saw images of their happy babies. That specific brain area is associated with the hormone dopamine, which is associated with feelings of reward and can also be triggered by certain drugs. Essentially, said one author, "all good mothers are addicted to their newborn babies." The purpose this serves is that mothers "will do things above and beyond the call of duty" to care for their children.