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Let’s Put the ‘Slut Gene’ to Bed Already
by Cristen Conger | December 16, 2010
Science doesn’t get much sexier than this. Researchers at Binghamton University in New York have supposedly identified a ‘slut gene’. People with a particular genetic variation of dopamine receptor DRD4 may be more inclined to hop into the sack with a stranger or cheat on a partner. Scandalous!
Sort of.
Dating Science: Do Feminists Make for Better Girlfriends?
by Cristen Conger | September 29, 2010
You know what’s a fun topic to bring up on a first date with a guy? Feminism. Once you get hard-lined religious and political beliefs out of the way (preferably in the car, on the way to date destination or maybe during the appetizer if you must wait that long), I highly recommend you toss out a couple of Betty Friedan or bell hooks quotes, and see if the gent picks up on it and responds with an appropriate Simone de Beauvoir reference.
Awkward silences — not gonna happen, guaranteed.
A sociological study from the University of Iowa (via Feministing) found a correlation between relationship quality and when two people decide to seal the deal that might seem less than earth-shattering at first glance. Sexual relationships based on casual “hookups” or friends-with-benefits scenario are more likely to suffer a fast-burning flame than couples who decide to hold off on the horizontal tango. But that doesn’t mean hookups can’t evolve into steadier relationships…
In the following video, the show 20/20 sets up an interesting experiment. They take identical twins and put them in a speed-dating situation. One twin is wearing a pheromone mixture and one is not. Which twin gets the most dates? Do pheromones have any effect at all?
The big question I’m looking to answer (which Molly and I addressed as part of our “Why does the sizzle fizzle?” podcast) is whether love is blind. Do we have any choice in the people we’re attracted to and pursue for the long-term? The short answer, according to Gallup, is no.
One night of oysters, chili peppers or other popular aphrodisiacs isn’t going to revolutionize your sex life. Big surprise, right? Just like improving physical physique, enhancing sexual vigor for the long haul is all about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, starting with what you eat every day.
A sexually beneficial diet involves much of the stuff we should be eating anyway, such as complex carbohydrates, lean protein and fruits and vegetables. Since sexual stimulation relies a lot on blood flow, excess salt, caffeine, tobacco and saturated fats that inhibit circulation and clog arteries over time are going to work against you. But you don’t have to deprive yourself either.
How to Explain Love in the Least Romantic Way Possible
by Cristen Conger | February 8, 2010
With the release of Elizabeth Gilbert’s exploratory work on marriage, “Committed,” and Lori Gottleib’s defeatist thesis “Marry Him: The Case for Settling for Mr. Good Enough,” I feel like I’ve been reading a lot about love – or the lack thereof – recently. And in case the pink and red displays festooning every retail outlet from Atlanta to Alaska haven’t caught your attention, Valentine’s Day is right around the corner as well.
So what better time to take the romance out of love and boil down our most beloved emotion into a neurochemical cocktail? Instead of wishin’ and hopin’ for a dozen red roses to appear on your door stoop on Sunday, you can approach the whole affair from the steady stance of logic.
The next time I head out on a date with a new fella, I’d like for him to bring me a single long-stemmed rose and an unwashed undershirt. That way, we can cut through the rigmarole of dating and figure out then and there whether it’s going to work. Oh, how much time, money and heartache we all could save!
Online dating sites that match up personalities and interests are fine. Ditto for old fashioned, in-person instant attractions. But neither of those dating options have science on their side. And what’s more romantic than the lusty language of scientific studies, people?
The Pantanal is a large wetland area located in Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay that’s teeming with plant and animal life. Explore the wild, watery world of the Pantanal with Matt and Rachel in this episode of The Coolest Stuff on the Planet.
The initial phase of a romantic relationship sizzles with attraction, but inevitably, those overwhelming feelings start to fizzle. Why? Explore the neurochemistry of love in this podcast from HowStuffWorks.com.
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