“Saliva has antibacterial properties. It also has things called nerve growth factor, skin growth factor, histatins which help with wound closure. So when you see an animal licking a wound or even a mom kissing a child's boo-boo, there's some, there's some good science behind why one might do this.”

American author of popular science and humor

Mary Roach is an American author of popular science and humor. She is known for writing bestselling books that turn science into accessible, often playful nonfiction. 138 quotes on the site. Her books include Stiff, Spook, Bonk, Packing for Mars, Gulp, Grunt, Fuzz, and Replaceable You, all New York Times bestsellers. Her work often explores unusual corners of science, from human cadavers and the afterlife to sex, space, digestion, war, nature, and anatomy.