Tickling may seem like child's play, but scientists are beginning to see it as something much deeper—a complex puzzle tied to human touch, laughter, and brain development. The sensation of being ...

This narrative illustration visualizes the discovery of how oxytocin-mediated neural circuits in the hypothalamus promote social bonding through playful interactions. A traditional Japanese landscape ...

Socrates wondered 2,000 years ago, and Charles Darwin also racked his brains: what is a tickle, and why are we so sensitive to tickling? ‘Tickling is relatively under-researched,’ says neuroscientist ...