tiistai 15. helmikuuta 2011

Science of Love

Had no date this Valentine’s? Check out the love facts based on SCIENCE! on how to secure one for next year.

Wear red. Lipstick, dress, shoes, a hat. A study testing men’s response to pictures of women under a variety of colour presentations shows that red is the winner. The pictures of women shown framed by or wearing red were rated significantly more attractive and sexually desirable by men than the exact same women shown with other colours. The scientists think there’s biological reasons behind this. Research has shown that nonhuman male primates are particularly attracted to females displaying red. Female baboons and chimpanzees, for example, redden conspicuously when nearing ovulation, sending a clear sexual signal designed to attract males. The red effect extends only to males and only to perceptions of attractiveness.

J.R fancied Sue Ellen's good looks. She was attracted
to his wealth. Luckily we know it's all fiction!
People lie! For a long time it has been a well known “fact” that when it comes to romantic attraction men primarily are motivated by good looks and women by earning power. However, an in-depth study of romantic attraction shows that in reality men and women were equally inspired by physical attraction and equally inspired by earning power or ambition. In other words, we are only interested in good looks and money. Off to the gym you go!

Gay men go for the macho look. A study done at Harvard University shows that, well, ehem, men are pretty simple. The findings suggest that regardless of sexual orientation, men's brains are wired for attraction to sexually dimorphic faces - those with facial features that are most synonymous with their gender. Meaning gay men are most attracted to the most masculine-faced men, while straight men prefer the most feminine-faced women. Women's preferences are more complex than men's, with ovulation, contraceptive use, self-perceived attractiveness, and sex drive all affect face preference. In this particular study, straight women preferred more masculine-faced men than lesbian women, while lesbians preferred slightly more masculine female faces than straight women or men.

Victoria forgave David for playing away from home
with another woman. Would she react differently if he
was caught with another man? 
Play hard to get. According to a new psychological  study women are more attracted to men whose feelings are unclear. It concluded that men on dating sites who kept women guessing about just how interested they really were were more likely to have the women interested in them. Psychologists say in the case of 'attraction uncertainty,' people find themselves thinking about someone. But rather than recognize it's because of the uncertainty, they assume it is because they must be attracted to the person.The authors of the study say they believe the results would be the same in men.

If you cheat, choose wisely. A new study has shown that men are more than twice as likely to continue dating a girlfriend who has cheated on them with another woman than one who has cheated with another man. Women show the opposite pattern. They are more likely to continue dating a man who has had a heterosexual affair than one who has had a homosexual affair. This is not happening because women are all bigots, it’s all down to biology. "A robust jealousy mechanism is activated in men and women by different types of cues - those that threaten paternity in men and those that threaten abandonment in women," says Jaime C. Confer, the study's lead author.

Good luck. And lots of love.

maanantai 14. helmikuuta 2011

Save Your Pennies And See a Play for Less

London is a theatre capital at its best. We have the world famous West End, but there are also hundreds of plays running in the smaller theatres around the town. Here are my tips on how to catch a play in London without breaking the bank.

Buy tickets on the day. There are countless “half price tickets booths” around Leicester Square, but the official is the white one in the middle of the square called TKTS. They sell half price tickets for the same day shows. Do keep in mind though that the cheapest ticket gets you the cheapest seat in the often huge West End theatre. Get there early for as the best tickets sell out fast.

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Priscilla Queen of the Desert is the funniest musical
in London but you don't have to break the bank to see it. 
See previews. You will quickly learn which theatres are your favourites. Sign up for their newsletters to find out about the new shows. The preview tickets are sold at reduced price as the play may still be tweaked. Or browse for a preview show in www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk. I've recently been to see the previews of Roald Dahl's Twisted Tales (easy & good fun) at Hammersmith Lyric and Vernon God Little (fantastic) at Young Vic. 

Book through lastminute.com. The famous website offers deals, but to be fair, the value & quality of the offers varies. They often sell tickets based on “best available seats” and that can really be anything from a top price seat to something on the balcony. It’s still worth checking what’s on offer. Shop around online for best deals.


National Theatre – the National Theatre in partnership with Travelex is offering £10 tickets to most of its shows. Book early.

Book as a group. Make a night out of it with a group of friends. Put together a group of 10+ and save up to 50%. The bigger the group, the lower the price and if not, negotiate.

Opt for a non-commercial and off West End theatres instead of the biggest productions in central London. Often with more demanding and / or edgy plays with an affordable ticket price, these are a good option for a West End production. 

perjantai 11. helmikuuta 2011

Mammoth News!

I hear some exciting news from Japan. The scientists of the land of the rising sun are working together with their Russian colleagues to clone a mammoth. Seriously, how awesome is that?

They are planning to use the DNA of the frozen mammoth remains found from Yakutsk in Siberia to clone a brand new shiny one. The estimated age of the mammoth found is 200 000-300 000 years. And it gets better. Last year the Vladivostok News reported that the scientists believe they can bring back some other extinct creatures as well, such as the woolly rhinoceros and create a prehistoric safari park in Siberia. But duh!, did you not see Jurassic Park? 

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Well hello there!