In a bizarre discovery, the scientists have found a link between men’s testicles and how good are they at nurturing their kids.
Anthropologists at Emory University say, men with smaller testicles are more likely to be involved in the care of their toddlers as compared to their brethrens.
“Our data suggest that the biology of human males reflects a trade-off between mating and parenting,” Emory anthropologist James Rilling, whose lab conducted the research, said.
The study was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
According to the researchers, the goal of the study was to determine why some fathers work harder at parenting than others.
Elaborating upon the objective of the study, Rilling said, “Previous studies have shown that children with more involved fathers have better social, psychological and educational outcomes.
The report notes that economic, social and cultural factors could also influence a father’s level of care-giving.
Study
The study included 70 biological fathers who were living with their kids. The mothers and fathers were interviewed separately about the father’s involvement in tasks such as changing diapers, feeding and bathing a child and caring for a sick child.
The brain activity and testicular volume were also measured using the magnetic resonance imaging technique.
The researchers found higher the testosterone levels and larger the testicles, the lesser the amount of kids’ care by the dads.