Such nebulous notions as love and affection, of course, interest scientists as much as laymen. Whether scientists have discovered the deep truth behind love is a moot question, but they did succeed in digging out some exciting facts. There’s still no telling why and how these occurrences come around, but they do, and the more we know about them, the better.

Hearts get synchronized

As two people in love meet each other’s looks, their hearts beat in unison.

Love relieves pain

When you are in pain, you can look at your beloved’s photo, and you will feel better. What’s more, you can use it whenever you want, and it will work.

Patience is a man’s quality

In many cases, it’s individual, of course, but generally, men display more patience than the female of the species. Research reveals that women will usually wait for about a week for their date to call them back before they give up on them; men can wait for a call-back for more than 11 days. Also, when no relationship has sprung up yet, men are more inclined to agree to meet again in 80% of cases.

Love is like a drug

Research done by scientists at the University of Syracuse discovered that the body’s reaction to falling in love is very similar to taking drugs like cocaine.

When people talk to a person they find attractive, their voice sounds different

As people enter into a conversation with someone they definitely like, their voice changes, and it goes for men and women alike. People lower their voices since it is widely believed that low tones sound more alluring than when speaking in the normal timbre. They also mean to come round as a more attractive person!

What causes butterflies in your stomach?

You must have read about the effect of butterflies in the stomach, but did you really feel that? Actually, it’s a rush of adrenaline that sets in every time you feel unnerved, like before an important job interview.

People have always had sex before marriage

In the good old days, when marriage was regarded way more seriously and virginity was observed more strictly, it didn’t mean that people shunned premarital sex. On the contrary, it seems to be a human habit. With women born 100 years ago, it looks like over 90% had premarital sex. As for people through the last century’s generations, the figure is even higher: 95% of all unmarried people experienced at least one sex episode before they walked down the aisle.

We experience love and lust, not in the same fashion

We consider passion, affection, and chemistry as sure signs of love – so they are, but they don’t cover it all; we all know that passionate summer romances can burn out after everything was all fine for a while. As brain scans show, the human brain distinguishes between love and lust.

When it’s a case of lust, the brain is activated, expecting pleasure and reward; meanwhile, love goes deeper to the desire for the fulfillment of some basic needs like thirst and hunger.

The difference is love is regarded as a longer proposition, while lust is a temporary one. Lust, even a strong one, is bound to pass with time. True, sometimes passion can transform into love, but meanwhile, we would be well off to understand the different reactions.

Heartbreak is more than just a word

Researchers tell us that periods of great emotional upheaval, like when we split with a loved partner or divorce, lead to a release of compounds that affect your heart adversely. It is called Broken Heart Syndrome and can result in difficulty breathing and a painful chest (which are rather close to having a heart attack!).

Love strengthens general health

While love certainly isn’t an overall cure, when you are in love, it is a healthy sensation that is definitely conducive to robust and long life.

There is proven scientific data revealing that when people live in loneliness and feel remote from other people they run a grave risk of wearing away sooner. In contrast, individuals who are emotionally involved with somebody else have a brighter mood and feel more energized.

Beauty is extremely powerful

Scientists agree (as if we ever doubted that!) that attractive people produce an instant strong impression, and first impressions count. In a study, volunteers were given an intellectually laborious task and asked to take no heed of faces that were popping up regularly. It was found that attractive faces distracted workers more.

It’s up to us to find a face attractive and be smitten or not, but if we see beauty, we cannot very well disregard it.

Danger and love

Love’s long-term companion is danger. It can create a strong bond. When two people meet in a situation reeking of danger, the chances that they may fall in love would be much greater in comparison with a meeting in any everyday setting.

Red dresses are considered to be more attractive

Women who wish the surrounding people to sit up and take notice as they show up should go for red clothes. Research is not quite ready to explain why, but the fact is, when a woman appears wearing red, she is more likely to be noticed by men and involved in a conversation on a serious topic than when she is attired in other color clothes. The style of the clothes doesn’t seem to matter at that.

Immunity matters

When we find ourselves attracted to someone, chances are their immune system belongs to a different kind. Yes, it works for romance too.

Wealth and social status are alluring to women

Socially there are consenting opinions and dissenting ones, but scientists are definite that women react to wealth and social prestige much stronger than men do. For men, a woman sitting in a car is regarded as attractive no matter what make of car it is. With a woman, this is not so: a man driving a luxurious car is rated as obviously more attractive than one driving a common make of car. So, man as a provider retains his meaning in society.

Chemistry offers more romantic possibilities

While we are making our choices, we do not think about what role chemistry plays in it – but there is a complementary process going on. If you have a lot of testosterone, you won’t like the same kind of person – someone with a lot of estrogens will seem more desirable!

Love to live better

Doctors have long noticed that those living with a person they love are 50% less likely to succumb to an early heart attack.

We may know far more about love than our forebears, yet it still remains as mysterious as it always was. Dating remains precarious and not as reliable as we would like it to be. Buying a better car and a new red dress alone won’t give you butterflies in the stomach… But there’s no reason to lose hope.