I'll try to keep this as short as I can. I've been known to start extremely long read threads. Well, it's hard for me to keep them short because I'm, well...too inquisitive? I guess.
o.k. I've been getting ready for finals so my study group and I have been visiting quite frequently the last couple of weeks. Last night we were studying reproduction/spay/neuter in dogs and cats. That kind of thing. Well, sometimes we get off subject and start debating about other topics when we should be studying. We were discussing how sexual attraction in humans and animals are very similar. A few students in my group didn't agree, but I wasn't alone in my thoughts.
Like pheromones for example. I don't know their full role in humans, but pheromones have a huge impact in the animal kingdom. Like in mice. They have cells in the lining of their nose designed to pick up sex hormones released by potential mates. In humans, we seem to go for specific body odors, especially if it's a really nice smelling cologne or perfume. We also look at symmetry when we look at the opposite sex. It's similar in animals. Like in peacocks. The male with the most symmetrical feathers walks away with the female. Men tend to buy fancy cars and nice houses to attract a woman. Bowerbirds are no different. They attract females by showing off their nest, which they decorate with the shiniest pieces of litter or debris they can get. What's cute and funny about this, is the female bowerbird stays in the nest for a few minutes to observe it. If she doesn't like it, she flies away. If she likes it, he gets her. Very funny.
Even the music we listen to is based on sex. Rock stars get more than their share of women. Similar are whales and birds when they sing to attract females. Mice also do it through ultrasonic sounds. I'm by no means saying that animals and humans are similar in intelligence, but we are sexually.
There's a member on greekchat who starts a lot of freaky threads in the D&R forums, and we all laugh but there's a lot of truth in the threads that are started by this member. I'm not picking on this member,
I'm just trying to make a point. Not my sort of thing, but we all know some people have multiple partners, but it's similar to what antelopes do. It's typical in the topi antelope which have month long mating rituals. The female is fertile for only one day, and she mates with several partners (I think it may be up to 10, but I'm not sure) on several occasions each time.
Look at the guys who are surrounded by a circle of women. They seem to attract other women outside of the circle. This is true with a certain species of fish. I don't remember the species but the male with the most females attracts more.
Soooooooooooo is there a science to attracting the opposite sex?
Are mating strategies still driven by the evolutionary urge for men to spread their seed?
I think there is. If the 1st few seconds of a 1st date go wrong, you might as well forget it. People judge photos of faces according to attractiveness, likeability and trustworthiness in the 1st few seconds. Only prolonged contact can reverse a poor 1st impression.
Again, I'm only comparing humans and animals because in school we do it all the time. 99% of human genes share a comparable version in mice, and many of them appear in the same order in our chromosomes. We also have similar reproductive and nervous systems. That's why I compare and also why the mouse is used as a principle model for biomedical research.
Sorry so long...again.
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