Israeli Science Club event: Love and Money

The recent Science Club event of the Israel Friends Association of the Weizmann Institute of Science hosted Dr. Liat Yakir, who talked about the science of love. Dr. Yakir, a graduate of the Department of Molecular Genetics, described a phenomenon in our brains related to falling in love, its effect on choosing whom to fall in love with, and on choosing partners. She asked members of the audience to give compliments or to use affectionate phrases to the people sitting next to them, and measure their response. Her point: to demonstrate the importance of the hormone oxytocin, also known as the “love hormone,” which influences making social connections.

Amir Levi, Director of the Budgets Department at Israel's Ministry of Finance, gave a behind-thescenes look at government economic activity and talked about the effects of Israel’s political and security changes on the economy.