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How prairie voles may help — and complicate — love in humans : Short Wave For years, scientists have known that oxytocin is important in facilitating the feeling of love in humans. How do they know? Prairie voles. For years, scientists have relied on the cuddly rodents to help us humans understand how this protein works in our brains. But within the past few years, research has complicated that understanding, prompting the question: Can love prevail without the "love" hormone? (encore)

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Short Wave

This Valentine's Day, thank voles for our understanding of love

This Valentine's Day, thank voles for our understanding of love

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Prairie voles mate for life and are frequently used to study human behavior. Todd H. Ahern/Emory University hide caption

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Todd H. Ahern/Emory University

Prairie voles mate for life and are frequently used to study human behavior.

Todd H. Ahern/Emory University

For years, scientists have known that oxytocin is important in facilitating the feeling of love in humans. How do they know? Prairie voles. For years, scientists have relied on the cuddly rodents to help us humans understand how this protein works in our brains. But within the past few years, research has complicated that understanding, prompting the question: Can love prevail without the "love" hormone? (encore)

Struck by cupid's arrow and wondering what's love got to do with it? Email us at shortwave@npr.org.

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Listen to every episode of Short Wave sponsor-free and support our work at NPR by signing up for Short Wave+ at plus.npr.org/shortwave.

This episode was produced by Thomas Lu, edited by Gabriel Spitzer and Gisele Grayson, and fact-checked by Anil Oza. Josh Newell was the audio engineer.