A new study published in the journal Science suggests that our capacity to care about others may have very ancient origins, rooted in prehistoric animals that lived millions of years ago. Fish were found to be able to detect fear in other fish, and to form social bonds with other fish, suggesting that this capacity is not exclusive to mammals. Hans Hofmann, an evolutionary neuroscientist, commented on the findings, saying that some of the mechanisms that underlie our ability to experience fear and fall in and out of love are clearly very ancient pathways.