How TikTok’s pupil test works, and what it tells us about love and attraction
A TikTok trend that claims to test if you’re really in love may have some real science behind it.
3 years ago
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If there’s one thing humans can’t get enough of, it’s love. The spark of a first kiss, the warm glow of a happy couple — even if it leads to jealousy, heartache, and pain. We’re obsessed — there are millions of songs, movies, poems, paintings, even scriptures — dedicated to exploring romantic love. And yet, in many ways, love remains mysterious. There’s no formula for love — no predicting who it’ll strike, how it’ll unfold, when it’ll end. But scientists are learning more and more about love, how it affects us, and how technology is changing the way we meet our mates.
In this episode, we hear stories about a scientific cure for heartbreak, the TikTok test that claims to tell if someone’s really into you, and how a glitch in dating algorithms brought one couple together. Also, a rundown from evolutionary anthropologist Anna Machin about how and why love evolved, how it affects our brains, and why “love at first sight” might be a scam.
Also heard on this week’s episode: