Don't bother with morphine the next time you are in pain. All you need is a healthy dose of love to make yourself feel better in an instant.
A group of 17 women lined up at UCLA to have their brains scanned while they received brief, stinging shocks. They endured this form of medical torture so they could prove to the world that love conquers all, including pain.
While being shocked, these women were shown photographs. Sometimes they saw their loved ones. Sometimes they gazed upon a stranger. Other times they were shown a random object. Not surprisingly, the photos of a lover stimulated the part of the brain that is linked to feelings of safety and protection. Now bursting with those gushy feelings of love, the ladies were numb to the pain. [Wired; Shutterstock/ Mark Herreid]
You can keep up with Kelly Hodgkins, the author of this post, on Twitter.