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Men appear to be biologically wired to care for their babies, say researchers who have discovered levels of testosterone go down after fatherhood.

This drop in the male hormone presumably makes the dad more family-oriented and less likely to stray, says the US-based Northwestern University research team, which followed 624 young men before and after they became fathers. Research revealed that as soon as a man had a baby, his testosterone levels dropped substantially. Men with newborn babies less than a month old had especially reduced levels of testosterone. Larger falls were also seen in those who were more involved in childcare.

Lead investigator Christopher Kuzawa, says: “Raising human offspring is such an effort that it is co-operative by necessity, and our study shows that human fathers are biologically wired to help with the job. Fatherhood and the demands of having a newborn baby require many emotional, psychological and physical adjustments. Our study indicates that a man’s biology can change substantially to help meet those demands.” source: BBC

Studies during the past decade have shown primary school boys are struggling – falling behind

diagnosed with learning disabilities and getting in trouble at han girls. One answer to the problem may be video games, on professor at the US-based Pennsylvania State University. chnology is my feld, thinking about how to adopt technology ooms,” said Alison Carr-Chellman, department head and structional systems. “One of the reasons I’m interested in s because it meets boys where they are. It picks them up st they already have. If you move in that direction, you’re culture accepts who you are,’ rather than saying, ‘This culture yours and rejects who you are.’”

d parents need to be made more aware of the reasons boys chers need to understand the value of games to boys. More educational video games, as most existing educational ards, she adds.

A quarter of expectant fathers now go through their own “pregmancy” as they suffer their own symptoms such as food cravings and morning sickness, according to a study by the nappy company Pampers. Modern men have become so closely involved with their partner’s pregnancy that 23 per cent report emotional and physical changes often associated with women. The research found they become more emotional and “weepy”, and suffer mood swings, nausea and even phantom pregnancy pains. Fathers-to-be involved in the study also reported

cravings for bizarre food combinations such as tomatoes and oranges, tuna and pickled onions, and pickled eggs and ice pops. Of those affected, 26 per cent experienced mood swings, ten per cent had food cravings and six per cent felt nausea, which was unconnected to any other illness.

source: The Telegraph finger on the pulse

Video game value

PregMANcy?

Scooby Doo , featuring a cowardly Great Dane with an insatiable appetite for snacks and giant sandwiches, is the healthiest children’s cartoon, according to a recent study by the UK’s Department of Health. Researchers watched 200 hours of children’s television, featuring the 20 most popular programmes, and noted how many times physical activity was shown. source: The Telegraph

Lower levels = loyalty?