In the study, babies were exposed to their mother’s body odor via a worn t-shirt while interacting with a stranger. The infants that had their mother’s scent present, versus those exposed to a clean t-shirt, were able to bond with the new adult more easily, a finding that may help parents share child-rearing duties.

— Read more in Smelling Moms’ Scent May Help Infants Bond With Strangers at Smithsonian Magazine.