could this be the cause of all these techer-student sexual relationships over the years.
The pill 'gives women a taste for boyish men like Zac Efron'
The contraceptive pill may be changing women's taste in men from the macho pin-ups of the 1960s like Sean Connery to today's more boyish stars like Johny Depp and Zac Efron, scientists believe.
Researchers have found that the pill changes the perception of what women find attractive – and therefore could alter their taste in men.
Experts at Sheffield University believe the effect could lead to a form of "unnatural selection" and to a reduction in genetic compatibility.
It is well established, that women's attractiveness to men and their perceptions of attractiveness fluctuate depending on where they are on their menstrual cycle.
Just before they ovulate they are more attractive to men, and also find more "manly" men attractive.
However the use of the pill effectively eliminates this cycle and therefore women always prefer the same men throughout the month.
That is they prefer more feminine and homely men – men that are closer to them genetically.
If the theory is correct, it could partly explain the difference in looks of today's heart-throbs such as Leonardo DiCaprio, compared to the more chiselled tough guys revered by women before the pill like Kirk Douglas.
The research also suggests that taking the pill after you start seeing someone could damage the long-term prospects of your relationship.
That could mean women going on the pill after they have met someone suddenly find them less irresistible.
The researchers say this could have a significant effect over large populations.
Dr Alexandra Alvergne, from the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield, said: "Altogether the use of the pill might have important consequences for the formation of couples, and subsequent marital relationship and reproduction, and thus have an effect over large population."
She added: "There are many obvious benefits of the Pill for women, but there is also the possibility that the Pill has psychological side-effects that we are only just discovering. We need further studies to find out what these are."
Her co-author at Sheffield, Dr Virpi Lumma, said: "The ultimate outstanding evolutionary question concerns whether the use of oral contraceptives when making mating decisions can have long-term consequences on the ability of couples to reproduce."
An increasing number of studies suggest that the pill is likely to have an impact on human mating decisions and subsequent reproduction.
"If this is the case, Pill use will have implications for both current and future generations, and we hope that our review will stimulate further research on this question."
The research was published in the journal Cell.
The pill 'gives women a taste for boyish men like Zac Efron'
The contraceptive pill may be changing women's taste in men from the macho pin-ups of the 1960s like Sean Connery to today's more boyish stars like Johny Depp and Zac Efron, scientists believe.
Researchers have found that the pill changes the perception of what women find attractive – and therefore could alter their taste in men.
Experts at Sheffield University believe the effect could lead to a form of "unnatural selection" and to a reduction in genetic compatibility.
It is well established, that women's attractiveness to men and their perceptions of attractiveness fluctuate depending on where they are on their menstrual cycle.
Just before they ovulate they are more attractive to men, and also find more "manly" men attractive.
However the use of the pill effectively eliminates this cycle and therefore women always prefer the same men throughout the month.
That is they prefer more feminine and homely men – men that are closer to them genetically.
If the theory is correct, it could partly explain the difference in looks of today's heart-throbs such as Leonardo DiCaprio, compared to the more chiselled tough guys revered by women before the pill like Kirk Douglas.
The research also suggests that taking the pill after you start seeing someone could damage the long-term prospects of your relationship.
That could mean women going on the pill after they have met someone suddenly find them less irresistible.
The researchers say this could have a significant effect over large populations.
Dr Alexandra Alvergne, from the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield, said: "Altogether the use of the pill might have important consequences for the formation of couples, and subsequent marital relationship and reproduction, and thus have an effect over large population."
She added: "There are many obvious benefits of the Pill for women, but there is also the possibility that the Pill has psychological side-effects that we are only just discovering. We need further studies to find out what these are."
Her co-author at Sheffield, Dr Virpi Lumma, said: "The ultimate outstanding evolutionary question concerns whether the use of oral contraceptives when making mating decisions can have long-term consequences on the ability of couples to reproduce."
An increasing number of studies suggest that the pill is likely to have an impact on human mating decisions and subsequent reproduction.
"If this is the case, Pill use will have implications for both current and future generations, and we hope that our review will stimulate further research on this question."
The research was published in the journal Cell.
