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Feelgood factor of human interaction | Brief letters

The Guardian UK Sunday 11 October 2026, 15:52 UTC By Guardian Staff 1 min read
Key Points

Happy hormones | Fuel costs | Drive-in parking | Guys and girls | Young or old? | Singapore pollutionRe your report (‘Pull the plug’: protesters resort to direct action against AI firms, 6 October), the US neuroscientist Ben Rein has shown that there is a fundamental difference in our cognitive response according to the type of interaction we have. In-person meetings and conversations show a dramatic increase in serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine – “feelgood” hormones – compared with online...

Happy hormones | Fuel costs | Drive-in parking | Guys and girls | Young or old? | Singapore pollution

Re your report (‘Pull the plug’: protesters resort to direct action against AI firms, 6 October), the US neuroscientist Ben Rein has shown that there is a fundamental difference in our cognitive response according to the type of interaction we have. In-person meetings and conversations show a dramatic increase in serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine – “feelgood” hormones – compared with online interactions. I have been encouraged to speak to people at bus stops.
Judith Furner
Eastbourne, East Sussex

• Re easing winter fuel costs (Report, 6 October), it would benefit everyone if the outrageous daily standing charges were reduced or on a sliding scale based on usage. I can’t be the only person whose standing charges each month are half or more than the energy used.
Judith Pearson
Sheffield

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Young (PERSON) Singapore (LOCATION) AI (ORG) US (LOCATION) Ben Rein (PERSON) Judith FurnerEastbourne (PERSON) East Sussex• Re (LOCATION) Judith Pearson Sheffield Continue (PERSON)
Originally published by The Guardian UK Read original →

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