What Exactly Is Love?

Take a break from the euphoric high of love, and delve into the scientific depths of the emotion itself, says Madhura Sansare.

- Madhura Sansare

They say there’s nothing more beautiful than falling in love. The sun seems to shine a little brighter, and the sound of the birds seems sweeter. More than anything else, you just can’t seem to stop smiling. It’s almost like there’s nothing wrong in the world anymore, and even if things don’t go your way, they don’t disappoint you as much as they usually would. At least, that’s what it feels like. But love isn’t just a feeling in the abstract sense, it actually manifests in your body too. Researchers have spent a lot of time trying to decipher exactly what happens to someone in love. And they’ve found out some pretty cool things. You see, being in love is actually not all that mystical. It has strong roots in biology. Ready for a science class?

WHAT IS LOVE?

From a technical aspect, the human emotion of romantic love is nothing more than your biological self trying to find a way to keep the species alive. It’s nature’s idea of an arranged marriage. When you’re in love, your body and your mind are focussed, at least subconsciously, on reproducing. Your brain tempts you to go for it by flooding you with an irresistible concoction of happy hormones—serotonin and dopamine. It’s interesting to find out how it works.

FIRST SIGHT