Love: Magic or Neuroscience?

In “Love: Magic or Neuroscience?,” Lincoln tells his friend Alice that his girlfriend Lucy is moving away, and that he’s worried about an imminent break up. Lincoln is overwhelmed by his emotions and, more than anything, is not ready to part ways with his beloved Lucy.

To Lincoln, love is magic: an inexplicable force that makes your cheeks red, your heart flutter, and your world more vivid. However, Alice, who is a neuroscience enthusiast, illustrates that his rollercoaster of emotions can be explained by neuroscience—from the increased levels of stress hormones that cause his heart to race in the initial crush phase, to the increased oxytocin levels that help develop a sense of security of a committed relationship, to the social pain network responsible for the physical pain of heartbreak.

Perhaps love can be both magical and scientific, with neuroscience explaining the “how” and “why” behind our emotions!