3 Dec 2008

Is Matchmaking a Science?

- 9 Feb 2007

By Sandrine Ceurstemont

Page 3 of 3

So can online dating compete with nature? Short from asking people to submit a sample of their armpit sweat along with a photo, Rolfe admits that chemistry, or the ‘zing’ factor as she calls it, is hard to predict. What the site tries to do is find ‘likely compatibility’ and from there it’s up to people to make the effort and follow-up with their potential matches. “I like to compare it to buying a membership at the gym,” says Rolfe. “Signing up won’t make you fit, you have to put in the effort. Likewise, a relationship takes effort and communication to last.”

But it seems that some singletons prefer to stay single. PAB, a new acronym that stands for Professional and Busy, describes a growing group of young people who are focussed on their careers and don’t feel compelled to spend time finding a partner. So for those of you who will be spending Valentine’s Day alone, just think of it as the fashionable thing to do.

For more information

Full length TV shows to download from Firstscience.tv Video: What's Sexy? [FirstScience presents]
What is 'sexiness' from a scientific point of view and what makes 'sexy' sexy? We reveal just how manipulative nature can be.