There are so many things on this planet that we can consider as being “cute”…puppies, bunnies, babies, pinky toes, et cetera. They have all, at one point, gotten us to make googly eyes, or stare in adoration. However, one thing that we haven’t really considered is this: these things all have something in common.

The word cute is actually derived from the word “acute”, meaning perceptive, keen, and shrewd. About 180 years ago, men used this word to describe women and eventually shortened it, or created a slang version, to just…cute. Because it was used to describe women, as a consequence, it sparked a new meaning being aesthetically pleasing or good looking.

Konrad Lorenz, a scientist, began studying the reasoning behind why we find certain people, animals, and objects cute. He found that anything attributed to NEWBORN BABIES (or human offspring)…is considered cute. That is, anything that is small, round, and soft, with a large head and large eyes.

This cuteness then targets our pleasure center, or the Nucleus Accumbens, and gives us the same effect that drugs can, causing the “oohs” and “awws” that we usually attribute to cute things. This is also why a lot of cartoon networks and other companies consider the physicality of their products, to increase sales.

The next time you see a puppy, bunny, pinky toe, or cute baby, it will be easier to understand why they’re so darn adorable…transversely, when you see anything that isn’t cute (probably something that is the opposite, long a pointy)…it should be easier to comprehend your perceptions.