Michio Kaku: Why We're Attracted | Big Think

Why We're Attracted
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"There’s a reason why we are attracted to certain people," says Michio Kaku. Evolution has slowed down, but it hasn't stopped.
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MICHIO KAKU:

Dr. Michio Kaku is the co-founder of string field theory, and is one of the most widely recognized scientists in the world today. He has written 4 New York Times Best Sellers, is the science correspondent for CBS This Morning and has hosted numerous science specials for BBC-TV, the Discovery/Science Channel. His radio show broadcasts to 100 radio stations every week. Dr. Kaku holds the Henry Semat Chair and Professorship in theoretical physics at the City College of New York (CUNY), where he has taught for over 25 years. He has also been a visiting professor at the Institute for Advanced Study as well as New York University (NYU).
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TRANSCRIPT:

Michio Kaku: We have today jet travel. We have today the fact that almost anyone can have children. We have the situation today - because of prosperity and because of industrial revolution, because of international travel - that there’s mixing of the genes, which means that the gross evolution of the entire species itself has probably slowed down. But does that mean that evolution has stopped? No. People still prefer other people who are healthy. This means that we are evolving toward becoming healthier and healthier people.

There’s a reason why we are attracted to certain people of the opposite sex. According to evolutionary psychology, what we want is healthy mates. Beauty, for example, is a way in which we have of judging the health of another person. The theory says, for example, that if you are at a bar on Friday night and you want to “pick up” somebody rapidly, you can’t do a blood test. You can’t do a physical examination to find out how healthy that person is, so you need markers. According to evolutionary psychology, the markers are for estrogen and testosterone - shown in the body by beauty and physical health. For example, estrogen has estrogen markers: large eyes, small chin and thick lips. Same thing with testosterone: testosterone makes large necks and strong jaws and a lower voice. That also means the person is fit; the person is healthy. These are markers that we use.

So the point I’m raising is that evolution on a one-to-one basis is constantly taking place because we constantly prefer people who have a better immune system, people who are physically fit - masquerading as what we call "handsome" and "pretty."

Directed & Produced by
Jonathan Fowler & Elizabeth Rodd
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[Ichiboy]

"You will never get laid" - Michio Kaku

[Yotanido]

Guys... he was just talking about attration. If you get close to another person that doesn't fit these criteria, you might come to like them anyway. It is just that your initial preference will be different.
It also differs from person to person.

What he said was merely scratching the surface. Do you expect a deep explanation in a 2 minute video?

[LynkxMan]

"...so you need markers."

*takes a subtle peek at a fresh pack of colouring markers in pocket* *smirks and nods*

[chadgordon]

nonsense, kaku could probably walk in a bar and pick up the hottest girl there by his superior intellect alone

[joeljuntak]

[20] Sebuah senyawa non volatil Z, digunakan untuk membuat dua larutan yang
berbeda. Larutan A mengandung 5 g senyawa Z yang dilarutkan dalam 100 g air.
Sedangkan larutan B mengandung 2, 31 g senyawa Z yang dilarutkan dalam 100 g
benzen. Larutan A mempunyai tekanan uap 754, 5 mmHg pada titik didih air normal
dan larutan B mempunyai tekanan uap yang sama pada titik didih normal benzen.
Hitunglah massa molar dari senyawa Z pada larutan A dan B!

[TheCoolGuy]

HOLY CRAP SOMEONE USED THE CONCEPT OF EVOLUTION YEAH!!!! <3 Michio Kaku

[ibanobum]

"This means that we are evolving towards becoming healthier and healthier people." [0:28-0:33] - Michio Kaku

[GlobalResonanceDance]

I wonder if we are indeed improving as a species, as many people of a healthy mind and body are opting for a childless existence while those who spend their life drinking and partying are having all the kids.

[CorpseTongji]

I will pay any amount of money for a ten minute Q&A session with Michio.

[Ladykn]

Our state of health also transcends through our thoughts and emotions; which ultimately (and fundamentally) creates who we are. We've all met someone with an 'ugly' personality and know how 'uninviting' it is to be around them. Same with thoughts, when you think or react negatively about something or a situation, you have created that negativity inside yourself. That kind of negativity is what repels us from certain people. It's the positivity or positive energy that attracts us to one another.

[gustavogentilin]

Having money has become the ultimate "biological" feature that a male individual can display. Evolution has never stopped, it´s just mutating accordingly to human social habits.

[rai]

why Michio what a deep voice you got there, you must be healthy

[jonathancarlospina]

Mr.Kaku I thnk i've seen all your vídeos, I'm a big fan, you can talk about Ballet and I would still be hooked and inspired. I really respect your communication skills.

[fuhque]

I hope this means in the future eventually ugly people will quit mating and making more ugly people.

[TheRegalRolston]

He's the only reason I'm subbed to this channel. GO KAKU-SAN!

[jstewartproulx]

...or maybe beauty is a mode of health deception.

[axiezimmah]

hippie is spot on. attraction is an emotion, love is more then that.

[QBFOJustin]

This is so flawed... It's hilarious actually, wow, lol.

[ChristopherCraven]

Fair reliable. but also symmetry as well as if the smell of their hormones "sweat, body odour" appeals to you, you're good to go.

[phoenixman]

He's saying we've stopped making large external evolutons, but we are still evolving internally. In the other video he is simply stating we aren't evolving on the outside.