Over the last few decades, distances between us around the world have been compressed through air travel and technological innovations, but the pandemic has temporarily re-expanded the Earth. As we have been tasked with forcibly isolating from one another for the benefit of humanity, it’s becoming evident just how difficult this is. Despite our digital-aged communication tools that were only found in fairytales not long ago, they never quite replace a real-life bond. So why do humans crave such a connection? Why are they so important to our well-being?

In today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Zoe Donaldson, an Assistant Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. There, she studies monogamous prairie voles to identify the neural and genetic basis of complex social behaviors, including social bond formation and the response to loss. Her findings could help us to better manage our physical and mental health, by uncovering the genetics of monogamy related behaviors as well as the mechanisms of social buffering. In our interview, we discuss why she chose the prairie vole for her investigations, the neurotransmitters involved in bond formation, and why we do better getting through stressful situations together.