Is grief an exclusively human experience, or a biological instinct shared by other species?

Ideas & Philosophy · Published 29 September 2026 · Updated 24 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: We often view grief as a deeply human emotion, yet we observe elephants and orcas lingering near their dead. Is this profound attachment an emotional response, or merely an instinctive behavior? As science advances, we must also confront the ethical dilemma of whether we should develop a pharmaceutical cure for grief.

Grief remains one of the most complex human experiences, prompting fundamental questions about its origin and purpose. While we typically associate the intense pain of loss with human consciousness, observations of other animals, such as elephants and orcas, suggest that similar behaviors exist elsewhere in the natural world. These creatures often display persistent attachment to the bodies of their deceased, raising a critical scientific debate: are these actions driven by genuine emotional processing, or are they simply hardwired, instinctive reactions devoid of internal emotional weight?

The variability in how individuals process loss is equally puzzling. Some people navigate the grieving process with relative resilience, while others find it debilitating. This disparity leads researchers to investigate the underlying mechanisms that dictate our emotional responses. By understanding these biological and psychological foundations, scientists are beginning to explore whether grief could eventually be managed through medical intervention. The prospect of a pharmaceutical 'cure' for grief is no longer purely theoretical, though it introduces significant ethical questions regarding the necessity and morality of such treatments.

Professor Robin May, the Gresham Professor of Physic, explored these questions during a lecture recorded on January 21, 2026, at Barnard’s Inn Hall in London. May, who serves as an interim Chief Scientist at the UK Health Security Agency and a Professor of Infectious Disease at the University of Birmingham, brings a scientific lens to this deeply personal topic. His background in mammalian cell biology and infectious disease research provides a unique perspective on how biological systems, including our own, respond to profound stressors. As we continue to study the nature of grief, we are forced to weigh the potential for scientific relief against the essential, albeit painful, role that mourning plays in the human experience.

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