"There's no denying that human babies are cute, but even other species have adorable infants. Why has science conditioned us to find babies so precious? What specifically triggers our urge to hold and squeeze them? Interestingly, studies have found that macaque monkeys pay little attention to newborn faces. This leads researchers to believe that the 'cute feeling' might be an entirely human trait. Unlike many other species, human babies, once born, are completely dependent on their parents for survival. As a result, humans have evolved to find certain traits aesthetically pleasing and downright adorable, aiming to increase interaction, care, and protection from parents. This ultimately enhances offspring survival and perpetuates our species. But what exactly defines 'cute'? Scientists have identified a concept known as ""Baby Schema."" This encompasses a set of traits that make something appear cute. Traits include a large rounded head relative to the body, large eyes positioned below the face's midline, protruding cheeks, a prominent forehead, a round body, and soft surfaces. Unsurprisingly, human babies are born with large eyes, almost full-sized brains, soft skin, big cheeks, and round bodies. Tests have shown that when baby photos are manipulated to incorporate more of these baby schema traits - whether they're human babies or even dogs and cats - they are perceived as cuter. Participants also felt a heightened motivation to care for these babies. Additionally, when the fronts of cars were modified according to the baby schema (like enlarging headlights to mimic big eyes), participants had a more positive response. This reaction has a neurological basis. When viewing babies with amplified baby schema proportions, our brain's mesocorticolimbic system activates. This system heightens the anticipation of a reward and can induce feelings of enjoyment, a motivation to care for something, and the urge to cuddle or hold an object. But what about creatures that aren't as endearing? Some are even considered downright ugly. What does science say about these? Earth Unplugged has addressed this very question in a collaborative segment on animals. Click on the screen or use the link in the description to learn more. A huge thank you to the Earth Unplugged team for sharing this footage. Check out their video and follow them for even more incredible content. Don't forget to subscribe to AsapSCIENCE for more weekly science videos!"