On Valentine’s Day, it’s good to know that humans aren’t the only creatures who court: fruit flies fall in love too! Scientists have taken an important step toward understanding human mating behavior by showing that certain of their genes become activated when they interact with the opposite sex, meaning that courtship behaviors may be far more influenced by genetics than previously thought (are men PROGRAMMED to buy their girlfriends flowers?)
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A surprising answer – Contrary to popular belief, the ups and downs of romantic relationships have a greater effect on the mental health of young men than women.
In a study of more than 1,000 unmarried young adults between the ages of 18 and 23, sociologist Robin Simon challenged the long-held assumption that women are more vulnerable to the emotional rollercoaster of relationships. She came to the conclusion that even though men sometimes try to present a tough face, unhappy romances take a greater emotional toll on men than women. They just express their distress differently than women.
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Blame it on Facebook & video games – According to a new study, today’s college students seem less caring than earlier generations, perhaps they’re too worried about competing with their fellow students to earn a living after graduation. Thank goodness you can always get Mother Love–even if Mom lives far away!
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Instead of a person – In the TV series Boston Legal, one of the characters was in love with an inanimate object. It turns out this is no joke: it really happens. It’s called “objectum sexual” (OS) and for some reason, it mainly affects women. A German woman feels as if she was married to the Berlin Wall (now that it’s been torn down, she must feel like an abandoned woman). A French woman is having an affair with the Eiffel Tower.
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