7 Fascinating Love Insights Backed by Science

In our younger days, we'd pluck the petals of daisies. As adults, we swipe through Tinder and speak of experiencing love at first sight. But what insights does science offer on the subject of love?

Science popularizer and author of popular science books, Olga Maslova, delved into this topic on the SPEKA YouTube channel. Following the conversation with Olga, we've curated seven scientific facts about love that might surprise you.

Love is more than mere chemistry

Love is a biological process. It emerges when specific molecules — namely oxytocin and dopamine — merge with receptors on our cells, setting off a cellular response. This process occurs concurrently across various tissues, organs, and systems. There exists no single formula for love.

Human beings aren't strictly inclined toward monogamy or polygamy

We possess the capacity to embrace diverse relationship models, influenced by social contexts and individual disparities at genetic and epigenetic levels. While one individual might seek multiple romantic connections, another might commit themselves to a single partner for life.

Every romantic relationship follows three distinct phases

The sequence and duration of these phases exhibit variability.

Initial interest in someone sparks our dopamine system

Have you ever found yourself following someone you're attracted to on Facebook, browsing through their Instagram stories, or liking their tweets? This behavior represents a natural phase of falling in love, linked to our body's motivational system. However, fixating excessively on this “light” form of stalking might yield effects akin to an overdose of stimulants over time.

Not everyone craves numerous hugs daily

 Different individuals harbor distinct needs for physical touch. While physical intimacy holds significance, considering an individual's specific preferences is vital. If you're content without requiring eight hugs a day, that's perfectly acceptable.

A person's scent communicates crucial reproductive information

 Our perception of body odor often operates at an unconscious level. Though we might not consciously register it, our systems detect this scent due to molecules conveying olfactory information reflecting the other person's immune status. If our subconscious objective is reproductive evaluation, seeking a partner dissimilar to ourselves might potentially diminish certain disease susceptibilities in our offspring. However, this oversimplifies matters since scents can be masked in our world, and psychosocial factors also come into play.

Pheromone-infused perfumes won't help you in attracting another person

Pheromones serve as communication tools among animals, indicating directions such as where to locate food or water. Applying beaver pheromones on yourself may not attract your desired person, but it might pique the interest of the beaver. The use of synthetic mixtures fails to convey the intended message to either humans or beavers.