The Si Unit For Cuteness. Apr 2026

While "Buttons" are whimsical, the science of why we find things cute is surprisingly rigorous. Austrian ethologist Konrad Lorenz famously defined the (Baby Schema) , a set of physical features that trigger our caretaking instincts: Large eyes relative to the face. A high, protruding forehead. Chubby cheeks and a rounded body.

The Button joins a prestigious list of humorous measurements used to quantify the unquantifiable: The SI unit for cuteness - Rachel Neumeier The SI Unit for Cuteness.

According to popular math humorist Ben Orlin of Math with Bad Drawings , the fundamental unit of cuteness is the ( While "Buttons" are whimsical, the science of why

): The absolute minimum threshold of "aww," perhaps a very tiny, well-behaved pebble. The Science Behind the Scale While "Buttons" are whimsical