The tougher the competition and the bigger the dating pool (and online dating, as we know, has made it bigger than ever), the more ostentatious men have to get with their whiskers and piercings. The researchers claim that it holds for humans too, with beards and tattoos being the badges men use to compete for attention.
The researchers found that male primates who live in larger, multilevel societies use flamboyant and conspicuous markers to signal 'identity, rank, dominance or attractiveness' to females. The study: In a study published in Evolution and Human Behavior, researchers from the University of Western Australia analyzed 154 species of primates to see how they use physical 'ornaments' and 'badges' to stand out.
It's likely that the number of men sporting mustaches, septum rings and fresh ink is only going to grow, and there's an underlying reason why: A new study explains that today's hirsute, tatted men may have an advantage in the dating world. Have you been finding yourself among an ever-increasing group of bearded, tattooed and pierced men at the bar?
