Pub trivia: Dating
Dating
To some it's a mystery, others it's a way of life, while some just stalk internet matchmaking sites. Why not improve your chances of a good date with a couple of facts that could change your life, or at the very least provide light relief during an awkward silence.
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Fact
Love at first sight appears to be more than a myth, according to sex and relationship expert Tracey Cox. She reckons it takes just 90 seconds to 4 minutes to decide if we fancy someone.
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Fact
Cupid is little more than a chemical reaction in our body, according to US researcher Helen Fisher. Although 'lust' has long been attributed to testosterone and oestrogen, Fisher puts 'love' down to a cocktail of adrenalin and serotonin.
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Fact
Psychologist David Perrett from St Andrews University studied attraction using a computer system that morphed the faces of those who took part in the study into their opposite sex equivalent. Not only did his subjects not recognise themselves as a different gender, Perrett found they were attracted to their own image above all others.
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Fact
Love isn't blind - it just doesn't like glasses, according to research by the University of Warwick. A study of clubbers found their 'pulling power' increased by up to 400% if they ditched their specs. Half of those surveyed reported increased self confidence when they swapped glasses for contacts, while 80% who wore glasses felt less able to attract a mate.
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Fact
Dating agencies were given the cold shoulder by more than half of respondents to the BBC's Single Life Survey. The top places for meeting people were found to be the gym and office. Younger singles relied on friend networks, while pensioners favoured holidays as a way to meet new people.
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Fact
Over 30% of British adults are single, while London is the hottest spot for unattached people - 51% of inner Londoners and 35% of suburban dwellers are fancy free.
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Fact
Experts reckon that just 7% of sexual attraction is down to what we say. 55% of the message is conveyed through body language and 38% in the speed and tone of our voice.
Dara O'Briain interview
Suavely suited and booted, Irish wit Dara O'Briain's tongue is as sharp as a jagged razor blade. We chatted to the big man (he's 6' 4'') about college, cartoons and off-the-cuffery.
Danny Wallace interview
His book Yes Man has been turned into a Hollywood film, so we caught up with Scottish-born comic Danny Wallace for all the glitzy goss.
