You can read as many parenting books as you like. A lot of the time, mom and dad have parenting styles that are 鈥� well, let鈥檚 just say different. Sometimes, it might even seem like these differences are hardwired into parents鈥� brains. It turns out that at least in mice, they really are. 黑料吃瓜资源 (CSHL) Professor Stephen Shea shows how during our latest edition of Cocktails & Chromosomes.
To study parenting behavior, Shea鈥檚 lab investigates pup retrieval in mice. In other words, they look at mouse moms鈥� and dads鈥� abilities to sense signs of trouble in their youngsters and respond accordingly. 鈥淢others can get really good at this behavior, but fathers not so much,鈥� Shea says. 鈥淲e find that over five days, mothers improve dramatically and perform consistently. The fathers do retrieve, but they do it kind of half-[heartedly].鈥�
Shea鈥檚 exact assessment is a bit more blunt鈥攖his is a bar talk, after all鈥攁nd it couldn鈥檛 have been better timed, with his presentation falling right between Mother鈥檚 Day and Father鈥檚 Day. Press play to see more. And sign up now to catch our next Cocktails & Chromosomes event live. On June 27, CSHL Assistant Professor Corina Amor Vegas will be at Industry bar in Huntington, NY, to answer the eternal questions, 鈥淲hy do we age and what can we do about it?鈥�