This year was full of surprising news concerning dating and relationships. From the sweet to the downright bizarre, here is a recap of the top 8 news stories about relationships from 2014.
8. Dating sites are paying big bucks to combine science and romance.
Forget filling out your profile yourself, new dating platforms are turning towards science to find you a perfect match. SingldOut recently raised over $600k to develop a program of personality tests and DNA swabs to make matches even at the microscopic level.
7. Maybe size doesn’t matter after all.
At least when it comes to height, that is. New York University is working on a paper detailing that heterosexual men under 5’6” are more likely to form lasting relationships than their taller counterparts.
6. People who brag the most on Facebook are the least secure.
Anyone who’s had to suffer through a friend’s incessant wave of posts about their new relationship probably already knew this: New research out of the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin shows that people who insist on posting about their relationships are less secure about their partners.
5. Sexual preference for masculine men and feminine women may be a new phenomenon.
A study published by Brunel University suggests that preference for these traits may be a new habit formed by modern society, rather than evolutionary sexual selection.
4. Casual online dating isn’t so successful.
If you’re looking for a boyfriend or girlfriend online, researchers from Stanford and Michigan state have some bad news: Non-marital relationships that start online are more likely to fall apart than those looking for a potential spouse.
3. Marriage actually makes men healthier.
If your live-in beau needs more persuasion to tie the knot: The National Center for Health Studies confirmed this year that married men were 11% more likely than live-in boyfriends to have regular check-ups and health screenings.
2. We swap more than spit when we play tonsil hockey.
A new study published in Microbiome found that we swap over 80 million bacteria when we French kiss. Gross, right? At least those little “love bugs” are relatively harmless, if you practice good hygiene. That’s even more reason to save the “morning kisses” for after you brush your teeth.
1. There’s a gene that could make you terrible at relationships.
Researchers in Beijing released surprising data about the 5-HTA1 gene, indicating that people with the G version of the gene may be more likely to stay single. When 600 students were tested, over 60% of those with the gene were unable to stay in a romantic relationship. More research is still pending on this phenomenon. Until then, you’re welcome to say “it’s genetic” the next time your mother asks why you haven’t settled down.
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