Many people think of love as being all about fate, fairytales and mystical forces far beyond human control. As such, it’s common to balk at the claim that science has an important role to play, and to reject the idea that looking at the underlying biology and neurology of human responses can tell us most of what we need to know about how attraction works.
However, as Dawn Maslar is here to tell you in this informative TED-Ed presentation, your brain really is in the driver’s seat when it comes to love—just not the conscious part of your brain.
Using illustrative animations, Maslar explains how the brain conducts a series of significant, almost instantaneous calculations when in the presence of a potential mate, and helps you to understand which results matter the most.
At the end of the video, you’re sure to have a much better idea of what’s really going on when you feel those butterflies in your stomach around a stranger or just can’t seem to feel attracted to someone who seems like an objectively good match.
In addition, Maslar serves up some juicy facts about how every one of the basic human senses plays a role in attraction and mating, exploring some of the most exciting new studies about romance and bodily responses.
She’ll not only give you a clearer idea of how you choose your own partners but she’ll also give you some comfort about those potential relationships that just never seemed to get off the ground.
