Soul Mate Biology PDF
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Fascinating Life Sciences Gregor Majdic Soul Mate Biology Science of Attachment and Love Fascinating Life Sciences This interdisciplinary series brings together the most essential and captivating topics in the life sciences. They range from the plant sciences to zoology, from the microbiome to macrobiome, and from basic biology to biotechnology. The series not only highlights fascinating research; it also discusses major challenges associated with the life sciences and related disciplines and outlines future research directions. Individual volumes provide in-depth information, are richly illustrated with photographs, illustrations, and maps, and feature suggestions for further reading or glossaries where appropriate. Interested researchers in all areas of the life sciences, as well as biology enthusiasts, will find the series’ interdisciplinary focus and highly readable volumes especially appealing. More information about this series at http://www.springer.com/series/15408 Gregor Majdic Soul Mate Biology Science of attachment and love Gregor Majdic Veterinary Faculty University of Ljubljana Ljubljana, Slovenia ISSN 2509-6745 ISSN 2509-6753 (electronic) Fascinating Life Sciences ISBN 978-3-030-67211-9 ISBN 978-3-030-67212-6 (eBook) https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-67212-6 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors, and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, expressed or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover photograph: Gregor Majdic Illustrations were prepared by Sandi Radovan Images are protected by copyright law. Resale or use of any images of this book is prohibited. Images ©Adobe Stock This Springer imprint is published by the registered company Springer Nature Switzerland AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland To Nada, Jakob, and Hana; hoping our love will remain true forever Foreword We have all been in love at some point in our lives. Did you do stupid things during that time, call a loved one, just breathe into the handset, and did not talk? This book gives you a rational explanation for all your irrational actions. RTV Slovenia Renata Dacinger, Ljubljana, Slovenia vii The god of love lives in a state of need. It is a need. It is an urge. It is a homeostatic imbalance. Like hunger and thirst, it’s almost impossible to stamp out. Plato ix Acknowledgments This book was written in the last 2 years, but the seeds for it were sown a long time ago, during 30 years of my adventures in science. I have had the privilege of meet- ing and working with many brilliant people around the world in my quest for knowl- edge. These people have helped me to learn and understand science, and they have shaped my personality. Each and every one of them is a part of this book, and I remember with gratitude all the people who have stood by me through the years. Srdjan Bavdek and Rado Komel, my first mentors, introduced me to the amazing world of science. Philippa Saunders and Richard Sharp shaped my future scientific career, along with the whole gang at the MRC Reproduction Biology Unit in Edinburgh, Scotland, where we spent three unforgettable years together. Keith Parker gave me the opportunity to work in Dallas, Texas. Although I was reluctant to move to Texas, I had a wonderful time there, especially because of all the great friends in the lab. I worked with Stu Tobet for many years. He ushered me to the wonderful and curious maze of brain research. There are many other people, friends, past and present co-workers, too many to list them all, but I am grateful to each and every one of you for your support and friendship. Special thanks go to Art Arnold, Renata Dacinger, and Barbara Radovan who read the manuscript and improved this book. I have abused the great talents of my brother-in-law, Sandi Radovan, who helped me with the illustrations. This book would not see the light of day without the support of my family, my parents Viktor and Marija, who passed on their love of literature to me, and my beloved Nada, Jakob, and Hana. Finally, I am extremely grateful for the privilege of living a wonderful life in a time and place free from war, famine, and other disasters. We all forget how privi- leged we are to live in the present time and place, while many people around the world are still suffering. We should not turn around and pretend that we can do noth- ing. Each of us has the chance to change a tiny part of the universe, namely our- selves. We can all change for the better. Only together can we, the citizens of this beautiful planet, build a better world for all people on Earth. A world full of love and understanding, where everyone can have their peaceful place. xi About the Book I fell in love for the first time when I was about 4 years old. In fact, I don’t even know if it’s my memory or if my mother’s stories have stuck in my memory. I fell immortally in love with a man at least 30 years older who worked on our terrace. From the moment he arrived in the morning, I stared at him motionlessly. While he was eating lunch, I sat on his lap. When he returned to work, I watched him. I said he was so beautiful I could not help it. And that I would marry him. The love ended when our terrace was finished. Although I call my childhood loves love, I never thought they were true loves as we experience them later. When I read the book Soulmate Biology, I realized that I should be a mouse or maybe a dog if these two loves are to be real. Mice become sexually mature at 2 months, and dogs between 12 and 18 months. I also learned that both humans and elephants reach sexual maturity at the same age, between 12 and 15 years, and that orangutans are the animals that take care of the young for almost as long as we do. After my early childhood I fell in love many times. Quite often with boys who did not return my love, and I tried my best to convince them otherwise. Sometimes by doing stupid things. I called them but I did not speak. I just wanted to hear the voice of unrequited love. Decades later, I found an excuse for my behavior in this book. The limbic system took over my actions and overwhelmed the rationality of my conscious cerebral cortex! My last love was my husband. Reading this book, it was as if I could finally add a rational scientific explanation for our great romantic love. Although love is any- thing but rational, it is actually nice to know why it is like that. After reading the Soulmate Biology, walking in nature or sitting by the sea is no longer the same. New knowledge makes it all the more interesting. Some male birds spend their whole life with one female and have sex with others. Which bird courts when I listen to them, and what does its wife do? Some spider ladies eat the male after sexual intercourse. What does an empty spider’s web mean? Fireflies use a flashing light to court. The male hoovers and makes his light blink, and the female waits in the dark and lights up when a male she likes passes by. Male octopuses shed their penises after mating to save themselves from being eaten by the female. xiii
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