A study shows that babies serve as social tools and perhaps also explain as to why human fathers proudly brandish new babies to everyone they meet.

Males carrying an infant have better chances of bonding with each other. The research, carried out among Barbary macaque monkeys, discovered that a baby's charisma immediately breaks down barriers.

Male macaques that carry babies around with them lean to get superior societal category, becoming more popular among their peers.

Men often use their children when they want to impress friends, says Dr. Rachel Andrew, psychologist who specializes in families and children.

Andrew said, “New dads are very proud of their offspring and you often hear men saying they took their baby round to show it off to people. You certainly see that sort of behavior amongst groups of men with babies, in a similar way to how dads with older children like to compare their child's football skills or how clever their child is”.

Scientists have observed male Barbary macaques bringing babies to social gatherings to help them bond with other males and to elevate their status in the group. According to the article, it doesn't even matter if the infant is a blood relation or not. Just so long, it has the downy black fur and wrinkly pinkish face that the adult male macaque’s find unfeasible to defy.