Why does a baby's cry feel impossible to ignore?
Ever wondered why a baby's cry feels impossible to ignore?
A fresh study from the University of Saint-Etienne (published Wednesday September 10, 2025) found that hearing babies cry doesn't just tug at your emotions—it actually increases blood flow to your face.
The effect was even stronger with more chaotic-sounding cries, hinting that our brains are wired to pick up on real distress.
How the study was conducted
Researchers had people with little baby experience listen to 16 different recorded cries while tracking facial temperature changes.
Turns out, both men and women reacted pretty much the same way, challenging old ideas about gender differences.
Cries linked to real pain caused the biggest temperature jumps. This suggests our bodies might be hardwired to respond quickly when a baby really needs help.