When parents die, sibling tensions can arise over inheritance. In many traditions, the oldest child used to get it all. In a part of Pakistan, there’s a surprise twist: The youngest is the chosen one.
siblings
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Have all girls or all boys? Study suggests the odds aren’t 50/50
A study analyzed decades of births and found that larger families showed a distinct tendency toward all girls or all boys, rather than a mix.
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When an adoptee reunites with birth siblings abroad: ‘There’s no instruction manual’
Reuniting with birth siblings after an international adoption is a challenging — and emotionally charged — mission. Here are stories from four families.
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We asked, you answered: What’s the secret to a close relationship with siblings?
As part of our series on “the Science of Siblings,” we looked at how some brothers and sisters are best friends. Here are some of the stories you shared of close ties with siblings.
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Kenya’s Samburu boys share a sacred bond. Why one teen broke with the brotherhood
After initiation rites – including circumcision – the boys leave their families to take charge of the herds, driving them high into the mountains. It’s a way of life that climate change is testing.
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Siblings can share the darndest quirks — like picking up coins & keys with their toes
Siblings — especially twins — sometimes share the strangest traits, like throwing a ball with their head or picking up keys and crayons with their toes. Researchers want to know what’s up with that.
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Gay people often have older brothers. Why? And does it matter?
Studies worldwide show that queer people tend to have more older brothers than other kinds of siblings. Justin Torres, a queer novelist and the youngest of three brothers, asks: Should it matter?
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A gunman stole his twin from him. This is what he’s learned about grieving a sibling
About 60,000 children a year in the U.S. lose a sibling. Zion Kelly joined that unlucky group in 2017 when his twin, Zaire, was killed. Zion has learned a lot about grief, and himself, since then.
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In the womb, a brother’s hormones can shape a sister’s future
When siblings share a womb, sex hormones from a male fetus can cause lasting changes in a female littermate. This effect exists for all kinds of mammals — perhaps humans too.
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These identical twins both grew up with autism, but took very different paths
Sam and John Fetters are identical twins with autism. But Sam is in college, while John still struggles to form sentences. Their experience may shed light on the disorder’s mix of nature and nurture.
