STUDY FINDS THAT PARENTS ARE DESENSITIZED TO GROSS STUFF

If you’ve ever wondered why parents seem unbothered by messes that make everyone else gag, science finally has an answer. Researchers in England recently studied how people react to disgusting images, including photos of vomit and feces, mixed in with ordinary pictures. Volunteers were free to click away whenever they wanted, allowing scientists to track just how fast people avoided the gross stuff.

The results were telling. Of the 149 participants, 99 were parents and 50 were not. Non-parents were far more likely to click away quickly in disgust. Parents, on the other hand, barely flinched. They lingered on the unpleasant images as if it were no big deal.

Researchers say years of dealing with dirty diapers, spit-up, and runny noses likely desensitize parents over time. Even more interesting, the study pinpointed when it starts: about six months into parenthood, right when babies begin eating solid food. So if you feel immune to grossness after having kids, science says you’re not imagining it.