Scientists Discover Attraction Body Heat

Ever had an attractive person make you sweat?

Researchers have just discovered that, at least in their sample study, body temperature increases for both men and women when they're in the company of people to whom they're attracted.

The old phrase 'getting hot under the collar' appears to be based in actual truth.

The University of St Andrews, Scotland - where, incidentally, Kate Middleton met Prince William - did the study on 16 young women under 24 and secretly measured temperatures on different parts of their bodies while being touched by a man (all the ladies were straight).

They had a male researcher - presumably quite a cute one - 'touch' the women while supposedly measuring their body temperatures, and found that - in contrast to being touched by a female researcher - body temperature rocketed.

The biggest increases were in 'intimate' areas, such as the chest or the face - which accounts for the romantic 'blush' effect we can't seem to control. We can't - it's our bodies rushing with blood.

It's not just in women, either. Previous research has indicated that men do it, too - reddening and physically heightening in temperature as they come into contact with a person they find attractive.

Researchers think this might have an evolutionary reason. Flushing to cool the skin is a pretty visible sign of interest, so perhaps the human body evolved this heightening of temperature to signal attraction. So much for playing hard to get.

Conversely, perhaps people who can be described as 'cool as cucumbers' don't have this very evident flash response, so are more subtle about their signals of interest. That makes them harder to guess about - and makes people work harder to seduce them.

Scientists aren't quite sure yet whether blushing and rises in body temperature are linked definitively, but they certainly seem to think it's very possible.

And even if you're not the blushing type, that rise in body temperature could apparently be detected by partners in more subtle, unconscious ways - by the feel of your skin or even your smell.

Sorry, ladies, you can't blame it on the Australian heat. You really are a little bit fevered with sexual attraction.

Lady Friday xx

Taking the pillow talk out of the bedroom, every Friday...