On Oct. 27, TikTok user @hanspoet shared a clip of her roommate Susan breaking down in tears. The user walks into Susan’s room, only to find the girl sitting on the floor and wailing.

Within these communities, Bering says, tears could be powerful tools. They did more than just signal vulnerability — they were perhaps a way of keeping social and reproductive bonds strong.

The science of tears. Happy, sad, crocodile or from onions, Dr Nick Knight explains the scientific reasons behind sobbing. Nick Knight. Thursday 01 January 1970 01:00 BST. Comments.