Are Our Sexual Brains From the Stone Age? or Why women love Brad Pitt

[deep]

Sex Under the Microscope

Are Our Sexual Brains From the Stone Age?


Aug. 27
? Men aren't the only ones with cheating hearts, and scientists do not believe that there is any such thing as a battle of the sexes either, according to a new book that takes a scientific look at sex.

In her new book, Sex: A Natural History, science reporter Joann Rodgers debunks some previous sexual theories, as she explores the biology and psychology of what drives our sexual behavior, from why we find Hollywood star Brad Pitt attractive, to why we sometimes cheat on our mates.
The findings: Sex is a lot more scientific than you might think. Though often influenced by culture, Rodgers found that human sexual behavior, including flirting and courtship, is also determined by biology ? and certain rituals are the same now as they were in the era of cavemen.
"A lot of sexual behavior ? including what we're attracted to ? is hardwired into our brains," Rodgers said. "A lot of it is conditioned by the way evolution formed our brains. Basically, our sexual brains are from the stone age."

The Mating Dance

Culture also plays a role, which leads to variation in sexual behavior among various people and varying ideals of beauty. But there are basic similarities that remain the same.
"Certain kinds of behavior are so universal that they appear to be biologically programmed," Rodgers said. "There is a mating dance."
When scientists studied flirting couples at a hotel bar, they saw some of the same things again and again ? gestures that are part of our "brain chemistry," Rodgers said.
A couple that was "connecting" would look into each other's eyes. When they sat down together, the man would lean forward, thrusting out his chest, while the woman would start twirling her hair.
"The man makes the first touch, say pretending to brush something off the woman's blouse," Rogers said. The hands would eventually touch each other, and eventually, the couple heads off to one of the rooms, researchers found.

No Battle of the Sexes

Rodgers also concluded that there isn't really a "battle of the sexes" and that the "Men are from Mars, Women Are From Venus" theory is a misleading one, Rodgers said.
"Battles always have a winner and a loser," Rodgers said. "But in the so-called battle of the sexes both sides have to win or else everyone loses ? Scientists will tell you there is no battle."
The ultimate goal of sexual relationships is cooperation and reproduction, despite the different strategies and behaviors employed by each of the sexes to reach it, Rodgers said. A woman for example might "play hard to get," a courtship ritual that her ancestors used, too.
"These are behaviors that have evolved over millions of years, as the ways males and females size each other up," she said. "Men and women aren't different species. Ultimately, the male and female get together and have children ? and that's a win-win situation."
Many people believe that infidelity is more of a male trait ? something that is part of their makeup, based on the theory that men have needed to spread their sperm, far and wide in the name of evolution.
But that doesn't explain why women cheat too, or whom the men are cheating with, Rodgers said.
"Until the advent of paternity testing, men just didn't have a reliable way of finding out," she said. "Women are probably more like men in this respect than we'd like to think."

Why Women Love Brad Pitt

Among cultures there are different preferences in terms of what is attractive. In the West, there is a lot of emphasis on female breasts, while in Oriental cultures, for instance, there is more of a preoccupation with a woman's neck. Some cultures prefer heavier women.
But the kinds of body types we are attracted to is also linked to another part of our anatomy ? our stomachs.
If Arnold Schwarzenegger walked onto a stone age plateau looking as buff as he did when he starred as Conan the Barbarian, women would think "he'll take a whole lot more to feed" than the other men, Rodgers said.
"Our sexual brains evolved at a time when there wasn't that much to eat," Rodgers said. "Arnold probably would have had a hard time finding a mate. People are programmed to be suspicious of extremes ? extreme fatness, thinness, or muscularity."
Studies show that even now, most women are not particularly attracted to body builder types. But a moderately muscular guy like actor Brad Pitt, who is also blessed with symmetrical features, is a hit with the ladies. Elizabeth Taylor, Denzel Washington and ancient Egypt's Nefertiti are universally recognized as being full of sex appeal, for the same reason, Rodgers said.
"The first thing we look for is symmetry. Symmetry is a sign of health," Rodgers said. A new study released last week, which found that asymmetrical people are more jealous than others, fits into the theory. Asymmetrical people are less attractive, and therefore more fearful of losing their mates.

Sex and Death

Sex plays a role in our lives until the day we die ? and in fact, sex and death are intimately connected, Rodgers found.
"Scientists say that sex and death are intimately related. Bacteria, for example, never die," she said. "They just keep on reproducing ? splitting ? forever."
Humans are more complex organisms, and when we evolved and started exchanging genetic material, things got more complicated. With bacteria, its whole makeup ? just one cell ? is devoted to reproduction, and that's all it does.
But with humans, only our sex cells are involved in reproduction, and the rest of our cells, including those that make up our skins and organs, cannot reproduce indefinitely. Sex ? or the lack thereof ? leads to our demise.
"Our other cells can only divide a certain number of times, and then they die, which is why we die," Rodgers said.

abc.news

nothing ever changes

 

[diamond]

nothing ever changes

wonder what chain would say about this...

 

[TripThruUreWires]

ahhh yes..the Discover Channel had a program that more or less covered this. very interesting. long live the Discover Channel!!

all i know is that my brain has been hardwired to find Jaquin Phoenix scrumptious!

would you look at that symmetry! hot damn!
i hear he's a vegan..shouldn't be too hard to feed.

 

[deep]

educational television

Trip,

I saw that program, it was good.

J. Phoenix is an excellent actor, he always delivers the goods.

 

[Naya]

ahhh yes..the Discover Channel had a program that more or less covered this. very interesting. long live the Discover Channel!!

all i know is that my brain has been hardwired to find Jaquin Phoenix scrumptious!

would you look at that symmetry! hot damn!
i hear he's a vegan..shouldn't be too hard to feed.

I saw that show too....

About Joaquin....

There are many other girls on here who love him (Gina and mocool come to mind)

 

[Lilly]

you take your joaquin...i'll take someone with a name i can pronounce (though it's hard to talk when your mouth is agape from beauty)

<--juuuuude

 

[diamond]

-way to go 'chain'
u now r turning LemnStand into PLEBA
you r so neat

-diamond-

 

[Naya]

you take your joaquin...i'll take someone with a name i can pronounce (though it's hard to talk when your mouth is agape from beauty)

<--juuuuude

 

[TripThruUreWires]

hooray for 'shark week' !

Trip,

I saw that program, it was good.

J. Phoenix is an excellent actor, he always delivers the goods.

so true. he's been amazing in every movie i've seen him in (only amounting to three): Quills, Gladiator, and Signs.
are there any other worthwhile movies in which he has a role?

oh, by the way, deep, sorry to have attracted so much estrogen to your worthy thread. i should know better then to start posting pictures of male hotties.

 

[deep]

- u now r turning LemnStand into PLEBA

This is a science article. Maybe you could read it and learn something.

Why Women Love Brad Pitt


"The first thing we look for is symmetry. Symmetry is a sign of health," Rodgers said. A new study released last week, which found that asymmetrical people are more jealous than others, fits into the theory. Asymmetrical people are less attractive, and therefore more fearful of losing their mates.

They just posted examples of what meets this criteria, symmetry.

 

[diamond]

PLEBA

 

[Naya]

i want him

Diamond dear are you jealous?

Symmetric alright.

 

[diamond]

what the HELL is this symetrical business anyway!

 

[deep]

Re: hooray for 'shark week' !

so true. he's been amazing in every movie i've seen him in (only amounting to three): Quills, Gladiator, and Signs.
are there any other worthwhile movies in which he has a role?

oh, by the way, deep, sorry to have attracted so much estrogen to your worthy thread. i should know better then to start posting pictures of male hotties.

Trip,

No apology necessary.

Off-topic forum. Drop in, order a glass of lemonade and talk with other U2 fans about what you're listening to, reading, looking at, watching, or a hobby.

It is in the guidelines.

Maybe we should post some examples of symmetrical females, that illustrate the point of the article.

 

[Naya]

Re: hooray for 'shark week' !

so true. he's been amazing in every movie i've seen him in (only amounting to three): Quills, Gladiator, and Signs.
are there any other worthwhile movies in which he has a role?

Trip, rent: "The Yards", "To Die For" (the movie that made me discover him) & "Return to Paradise"...Other movies he's in but are not so good: "8 MM" &"Clay Pigeons"...

He's an amazing actor...He can play anything and be convincing...

 

[Naya]

Re: Re: hooray for 'shark week' !

Trip,

No apology necessary.


It is in the guidelines.

Maybe we should post some examples of symmetrical females, that illustrate the point of the article.

Why not? Who would you like to see?

 

[TripThruUreWires]

hey, the picture itself is symmetrical

let's make this an equal opportunity thread.
here, this one's for the boys:

 

[deep]

Trip,
That is not for the boys.

 

[Giant Lemon]

PLEBA

Sorry, diamond!

PLEBA
Talk all you want about Larry, The Edge, Bono, Adam, and Paul McGuinness.

This thread seems to be about symmetry.

 

[MonaVox]

We had a whole thread fer Joaquin in PLEBA not too long ago......

that's all I have to contribute.

Also....bc he was mentioned..I have to say I don't like Brad Pitt. Idon't think he's a bad lookin guy, but.... I personally don't find him as hot as Joaquin or Jude Law......

That's all I have to say about that.

 

[Gina Marie]

Also....bc he was mentioned..I have to say I don't like Brad Pitt. Idon't think he's a bad lookin guy, but.... I personally don't find him as hot as Joaquin or Jude Law.

Neither do I .

I find many guys to be hotter than Brad Pitt. I don't know if it has to do w/ this 'symmetry' thing or not .I guess Brad is held out as some sort of iconic ideal, but just for me personally, I think Jude, Ewan, Vince Vaughn, Larry , and other guys are more attractive.

And Brad w/ that beard that looks like small animals are living in it Thankfully it's only for a movie and hopefully will be gone soon.

Of course it's also personality, intelligence, etc..but this symmetry theory seems to be just about looks.

 

[deep]

Try these

so true. he's been amazing in every movie i've seen him in (only amounting to three): Quills, Gladiator, and Signs.
are there any other worthwhile movies in which he has a role?

Trip,

I think you might enjoy "Inventing the Abbots".

"To Die For" is the first movie I saw him in. It is a great movie for Nicole Kidman, she does a great job. Joaquin plays a naive high senior. I recommend it.

 

[MonaVox]

Quills = ....I'm looking for a smiley that's on fire.

We need a HOT smiley.

 

[MonaVox]

Anyone know...... why so many wimmens get mad at men for reading magazines like Maxim and FHM

but then turn around and get Cosmo and Glamour?

I'm in CVS today in line and just staring at the headlines on these magazine covers. It's all about sex.

 

[adamswildhoney]

Quills = ....I'm looking for a smiley that's on fire.

We need a HOT smiley.

 

[TripThruUreWires]

Anyone know...... why so many wimmens get mad at men for reading magazines like Maxim and FHM

but then turn around and get Cosmo and Glamour?

I'm in CVS today in line and just staring at the headlines on these magazine covers. It's all about sex.

yeah, but the difference is Cosmo and Glamour rarely dedicate 3/4/5 page spreads to scantily-clad beefcakes in compromising poses. it's too bad.

my ex-boyfriend once claimed that Maxim is actually a very respectable and practical magazine, having pointed out a step-by-step pictorial guide to handling a shark attack in one of their editions.

 

[MonaVox]

Let's try...

HA ok

QUILLS =

BTW Maxim is actually a REALLY funny magazine.

 

[She Is Raging]

Re: Re: hooray for 'shark week' !

Trip, rent: "The Yards", "To Die For" (the movie that made me discover him) & "Return to Paradise"...Other movies he's in but are not so good: "8 MM" &"Clay Pigeons"...

He's an amazing actor...He can play anything and be convincing...

8mm is quite possibly one of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen... yet I had to finish watching it to see what happened.


AS for Joaquin I'm bummed I missed the appreciation thread in Pleba!!

 

[MonaVox]

Re: Re: Re: hooray for 'shark week' !

8mm is quite possibly one of the most disturbing movies I've ever seen... yet I had to finish watching it to see what happened.


AS for Joaquin I'm bummed I missed the appreciation thread in Pleba!!

Joaquin Thread

 

[diamond]

Re: Re: hooray for 'shark week' !

Trip,

No apology necessary.


It is in the guidelines.

.

Mr George
aka-
Mr deep
aka-
Mr chain-
Since you pride yourself in 'following the guielines' would you be so kind to put your proper Date Of Birth..on your proflile?

You still have it there incorrectly.
You wouldnt want any erroneous information there would you?
Most women lie about their age..
Outside of this forum-
The WHOLE world knows your about 50 yrs age...not 37 ok?

thank u-
diamond
xxox