We like to think of romantic feelings as spontaneous and indescribable things that come from the heart.
我們傾向於將浪漫當成是一種 來自於內心內心，自發而又而難以言述的行為。
But it's actually your brain running a complex series of calculations within a matter of seconds
但是實際上是你的大腦， 在瞬間做出的一系列複雜運算
that's responsible for determining attraction. Doesn't sound quite as poetic, does it?
決定了一個人對你的吸引力。聽起來一點也沒有詩意對吧？
But just because the calculations are happening in your brain doesn't mean those warm, fuzzy feelings are all in your head.
然而，雖然所有的運算都是由大腦完成的 那些溫暖而朦朧的感覺並不僅僅存在於腦海中。
In fact, all five of your senses play a role, each able to vote for, or veto, a budding attraction.
實際上，你的五種感覺都參與其中，各自趨同或者否決了正在萌芽中的吸引力。
The eyes are the first components in attraction. Many visual beauty standards vary between cultures and eras,
眼睛是吸引力的第一個裁判。不同的文化和時代，對視覺美的標準都有所不同，
and signs of youth, fertility and good health, such as long lustrous hair,
而作為年輕、活力、健康的標誌，比如富有光澤的長髮，
or smooth, scar-free skin, are almost always in demand
或者光滑無疤的皮膚，永遠很受歡迎
because they're associated with reproductive fitness. And when the eyes spot something they like,
因為它們也代表著良好的繁殖能力。當眼睛注意到他們喜愛的事物，
our instinct is to move closer so the other senses can investigate.
我們的本能讓我們越靠越近 這時其他的感覺也參與其中。
The nose's contribution to romance is more than noticing perfume or cologne.
鼻子對於浪漫的貢獻 絕不僅僅是分辨香水或古龍水。
It's able to pick up on natural chemical signals known as pheromones.
它能夠辨別一種被稱作“費洛蒙“的 天然的化學信號。
These not only convey important physical or genetic information about their source
它們不僅傳遞著氣味發出者 重要的生理或基因信息
but are able to activate a physiological or behavioral response in the recipient. In one study, a group of women
而且能夠激發接收者的。心理或行為上的反應
at different points in their ovulation cycles wore the same T-shirts for three nights.
在一個研究中，一組處於不同月經週期的女性 連續三個晚上穿著同樣的T恤。
After male volunteers were randomly assigned to smell either one of the worn shirts, or a new unworn one,
之後，男性志願者被隨機抽取 去聞一件穿過的T恤，或者一件新的沒穿過的，
saliva samples showed an increase in testosterone in those who had smelled a shirt worn by an ovulating woman.
唾液樣本顯示那些聞過排卵期女性穿過的T恤的男性 睪丸素分泌有明顯的增加。
Such a testosterone boost may give a man the nudge to pursue a woman
睪丸素分泌的增加 可能會促使這個男人去追求
he might not have otherwise noticed. A woman's nose is particularly attuned
這個平時他可能就會忽略的女性。女性的鼻子對一種名為
to MHC molecules, which are used to fight disease. In this case, opposites attract.
MHC分子的化學物質尤為敏感，這種物質是用來對抗疾病的。因此，異性相吸。
When a study asked women to smell T-shirts that had been worn by different men, they preferred the odors of those whose MHC molecules differed from theirs.
另一個研究要求女性來聞，不同男性穿過的T恤，她們更傾向於，和她們自己的MHC分子不同的氣味。
This makes sense. Genes that result in a greater variety of immunities
這是說得通的。基因造成的免疫力的巨大差異
may give offspring a major survival advantage. Our ears also determine attraction.
可能會給後代以重要的生存優勢。我們的耳朵同樣決定著吸引力。
Men prefer females with high-pitched, breathy voices, and wide formant spacing, correlated with smaller body size.
男人更喜歡女性擁有音調較高、帶有呼吸聲、共振間隔較長的聲音，因為它讓人聯想到小巧玲瓏。
While women prefer low-pitched voices with a narrow formant spacing that suggest a larger body size.
而女性則更喜歡音調低沉、共振間隔較短的男性聲音 因為它讓人聯想到高大威猛。
And not surprisingly, touch turns out to be crucial for romance.
意料之中，觸覺對浪漫有著決定性的作用。
In this experiment, not realizing the study had begun, participants were asked to briefly hold the coffee,
在一個實驗中，被告知實驗開始前，參與者被要求短暫地拿著一杯咖啡，
either hot or iced. Later, the participants read a story about a hypothetical person,
或者是熱的，或者是冷的。然後，參與者被要求閱讀，一個假想的人的故事，
and were asked to rate their personality. Those who had held the hot cup of coffee
並且評價他的個性。拿著熱咖啡的人
perceived the person in the story as happier, more social, more generous and better-natured
認為故事裡的人快樂、具有社會性、慷慨、天性善良
than those who had held the cup of iced coffee, who rated the person as cold, stoic, and unaffectionate.
而拿了冷咖啡的人則認為，這個人冷酷、恬淡無欲、沒有感情。
If a potential mate has managed to pass all these tests, there's still one more:
即便一個潛在的伴侶已經成功通過以上所有的測試，這裡還有最後一關：
the infamous first kiss, a rich and complex exchange of tactile and chemical cues,
初吻，初吻是一次內涵豐富而寓意複雜的觸覺和化學信息的交換，
such as the smell of one's breath, and the taste of their mouth.
比如口氣，和嘴唇的觸感。
This magical moment is so critical that a majority of men and women have reported losing their attraction to someone
這個神奇的時刻如此關鍵，以至於大部分的男性和女性 均表示曾因為一個糟糕的初吻
after a bad first kiss. Once attraction is confirmed, your bloodstream is flooded
而喪失了對對方的吸引力。一旦吸引力被確認，你的血液
with norepinephrine, activating your fight or flight system.
和腎上腺素一起沸騰，激發你的“戰鬥或逃跑”系統。
Your heart beats faster, your pupils dilate,
你的心跳加速，你的瞳孔擴大，
and your body releases glucose for additional energy, not because you're in danger but because your body is telling you
你的身體也釋放出葡萄糖來提供更多的能量，這不是因為你面臨著危險，而是你的身體在告訴你
that something important is happening. To help you focus,
這件事十分重要。為了幫助你專心，
norepinephrine creates a sort of tunnel vision, blocking out surrounding distractions,
腎上腺素創造出一種管狀視力，防止注意力渙散，
possibly even warping your sense of time, and enhancing your memory.
甚至有可能彎曲你的時間觀念，並提升記憶力。
This might explain why people never forget their first kiss. The idea of so much of our attraction
這也許能夠解釋為什麼人們對初吻念念不忘。我們的大部分吸引力
being influenced by chemicals and evolutionary biology may seem cold and scientific rather than romantic,
被化學和進化生物學深深影響 這個觀點也許看上去冷酷又理性，一點也不浪漫，
but the next time you see someone you like, try to appreciate how your entire body is playing matchmaker
但是下次你見到一個喜歡的人的時候，試試讓你的整個身體都參與配對過程
to decide if that beautiful stranger is right for you.
來決定這個美麗的陌生人是否是那個對的人。
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