Biochemistry Unit Writing Assignment #1
According to the Bible, Adam and Eve were the first humans ever to roam on the face of the planet. In order to progress, they were commanded to “multiply and replenish the earth” (Genesis 1:28 King James Version). In order to ensure that our genes carry on into the next generation, procreation is a must. However, scientists believe that “we are not just programmed for reproduction: The capacity for loving emotions is also written into our biochemistry” (Brownlee 295). If we view the way we care for others with a strictly scientific point-of-view, what does that mean for those seemingly unexplainable matters of the heart such as falling in love and physical attraction? Can that old saying of "having chemistry" with someone actually be true?
Love has baffled scientists for many years. Currently, they are increasing their efforts to perform research experiments to study how our brain and bodies work together. They have found that “oxytocin, a chemical that fosters the bond between mothers and children, probably helps fuel romantic love as well” (Brownlee 295). In addition, “brain chemicals that blunt pain and induce feelings of euphoria may also make people feel good in the company of lovers” (Brownlee 295). Have we been wrong all these years to suppose that falling in love is just a natural occurrence? We’ve seen movies and read books of men and women going to a witch or wizard in the hopes of obtaining a “love potion” that is specifically targeted for their object of affection. According to the information above, if we are able to bottle such chemicals as oxytocin, we could also produce the same results as any love potion.
We all know that boys are girls are different. We’ve been able to observe these dissimilarities since we were in grade school. Boys prefer the color blue; girls are more inclined to pink. Boys like to play tag and wrestle; girls would rather skip rope and have tea parties. Similarly, men and women also have contrasting views when it comes to relationships. A chemical called vasopressin could explain why forbidden sex is more appealing to more men than women by examining prairie voles. If the rodent is producing stress hormones, it impedes with the oxytocin entering the brain, “keeping a female vole from bonding, and perhaps preventing most women from finding danger sexually exciting. Vasopressin, in contrast, appears to work better in the presence of certain stress hormones, possibly making danger an aphrodisiac for many males” (Brownlee 297). While science can’t provide all of the answers to our burning romantic questions, we are certainly getting closer with every passing day.
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