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o matter which branch of science you
subscribe to, we have it on good authority
that sexual attraction comes down to a
primal human quest: to reproduce and nurture healthy
offspring. Levels of attractiveness, and what both men
and women consider attractive in each other, appear
to be a function of both evolution and psychology.
Of course, every man and woman has their unique
taste, but an overwhelming number of studies show
that our biological need to procreate leads most of
us to pick mates who have certain physical traits
over those who don’t. These physical characteristics
stimulate the brain’s hypothalamus, leading to elevated
heart rate, perspiration and feelings of sexual arousal.
It is also a chemical state, with six or seven
hormones at play. ‘Being on drugs is like falling in
love (or vice versa),’ says Prof Rob Brooks, Professor
of Evolutionary Biology at the University of NSW
and author of Sex, Genes and Rock ‘n’ Roll: How
Evolution Has Shaped The Modern World.
Perhaps the most obvious physical trait that arousesANIMAL MAGNETISM. THAT CERTAIN JE NE SAIS
QUOI. WHATEVER YOU CALL IT, SEX APPEAL
HAS SOME SERIOUS SCIENTIFIC BACKING.WORDS BY AIMEÉ RODRIGUES
SEX
APPEAL:
DO YOU
HAVE IT?