Emotional tears are a uniquely human behavior. Research suggests they evolved not for eye health but as a powerful social ...

Crying is one of the most recognizable human emotional signals. Tears appear when people experience grief, relief, joy, or ...

Terminator: Why do you cry? John Connor: You mean people? Terminator: Yes. John Connor: I don't know. We just cry. You know. When it hurts. Terminator: Pain causes it? John Connor: Uh-uh, no, it's ...

We’re the only species that sheds emotional tears, but much about them remains an enigma. Human infants aren’t able to shed tears for the first few weeks of their lives. Scientists like to show the ...

Crying as an expression of emotion appears to be uniquely human behavior. Other animals may tear up because of irritants in their eyes, but only humans shed tears at times of extreme sadness or joy.

Crying also triggers the release of feel-good chemicals, Dr. Parker says, like pain-relieving endorphins and oxytocin (the ...

Issue 42 (January 2026) of CURIOUS is out now, bringing you science highlights for the month plus deep dives into intriguing topics, interviews, exclusives, diary dates, and explanations for some of ...