New Moms and Face Pareidolia; Genetic Variation and Cilantro Aversion

Today, you’ll learn about how new moms see faces in inanimate objects, why some people think cilantro tastes like soap, and the problem solving prowess of vocal birds.  

New Mom Pareidolia 

• “New mothers more likely to experience pareidolia, when your brain thinks it sees faces in inanimate objects.” by Emily Cooke. 2023.  
• “What is pareidolia?” by Tia Ghose. 2023.  
• “Oxytocin: Facts about the ‘cuddle hormone’.” by Stephanie Pappas & Ailsa Harvey. 2022.  
• “Why new mothers are more likely to see faces in everyday objects.” n.a. 2023.  

Soapy Cilantro  

• “Why do some people think cilantro tastes like soap?” by Donavyn Coffey. 2023.  
• “Why do people like spicy food?” by Donavyn Coffey. 2023.  
• “A genetic variant near olfactory receptor genes influences cilantro preference.” by Nicholas Eriksson, et al. 2012.  

Problem-Solving Birds 

• “Birds with more complex vocal skills are better problem-solvers.” by Darren Incorvaia. 2023.  
• “Cockatoos can tell when they need more than one tool to swipe a snack.” by Erin Garcia de Jesus. 2023.  
• “Songbird species that display more-complex vocal learning are better problem-solvers and have larger brains.” by Jean-Nicolas Audet, et al. 2023.  

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