A  study by psychologists at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology claims to have found the most effective flirting techniques for men and women.The researchers looked at college students in the US and Norway‚ all of whom were heterosexual. The volunteer participants were sent questionnaires‚ asking them to rate how effective 40 different types of flirting were when looking for a short or long-term relationship‚ and based on whether the flirter was male or female. The researchers also looked at the participants' own extroversion levels‚ age‚ how religious they were‚ how willing they were to be in a relationship‚ as well as how attractive they are in the dating market.“What’s most effective depends on your gender and whether the purpose of the flirtation is a long-term or short-term relationship‚” Leif Edward Ottesen Kennair‚ professor of psychology at Norwegian University of Science and Technology explained in a press release.For women looking for short-term relationships – a fling or a one-night stand‚ for example – the most effective technique was fairly unsurprising.“People consider signals that you’re sexually available to be the most effective for women who are looking for a short-term relationship‚” Kennair said. Friendly contact such as hugging or a friendly kiss on the cheek isn't enough in those situations‚ and so women who want a quick fling are better off using cues that highlight sexual availability‚ such as rubbing against potential partners‚ moving closer‚ and making body contact.Men looking for short-term flings could not rely on just one technique."The tactics that were judged most effective for women for a one-night stand were exclusively sexual or physical‚" the team wrote in the study. "In contrast‚ men were judged more effective if they‚ in addition to physical and sexual tactics‚ also smiled‚ showed interest in conversations‚ gave compliments‚ and made her laugh."The team found that for men seeking longer-term relationships‚ “signs of generosity and a willingness to commit works best". However‚ if you're looking for more general advice on flirting‚ there was one type that appeared to be universally effective. “People think that humour‚ or being able to make another person laugh‚ is most effective for men who are looking for a long-term relationship. It’s least effective for women who are looking for a one-night stand. But laughing or giggling at the other person’s jokes is an effective flirtation tactic for both sexes‚” Kennair said in the statement. This held true across US and Norway participants in the study. “It is not only effective to be funny‚" Rebecca Burch‚ a co-author from SUNY Oswego‚ US‚ added. "But for women it is very important that you show your potential partner that you think they are funny”.If you have trouble being funny‚ Kennair recommends that you begin with another effective flirting technique – smiling and eye contact – before working on the other skills from that baseline.The study is published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology‚

The Lake Victoria of today is relatively young at just 16‚000 years old‚ but within this tiny timeframe‚ some 500 different species of cichlid fish have managed to evolve here. Remarkably‚ this explosion of diversity is primarily thanks to hybrids born as a result of inter-species breeding.In a study‚ scientists at the University of Bern‚ the University of Cambridge‚ and the Wellcome Sanger Institute discovered that the hundreds of wildly different species had‚ in fact‚ all evolved from just three lineages of cichlid that arrived in Lake Victoria – Africa's largest lake – around 16‚000 years ago when it refilled after an intense dry spell. This is unbelievably fast in terms of evolution.“They evolved from probably three lineages that came together in the lake‚ hybridized‚ combined their genetic variation‚ and generated this huge diversity of hybrids‚ which then evolved into different species‚” Dr Joana Meier‚ first author of the study and group leader at the Wellcome Sanger Institute‚ told IFLScience.“We now find over 500 species of cichlid fishes. We found out that all those cichlid fish species actually evolved within the lake in just 16‚000 years‚ which is absolutely crazy. Usually‚ it takes over a million years for a new species to evolve‚” Dr Meier added.“It's kind of like a rabbit turning into a wolf within an eyeblink. Super crazy ecological differentiation – very‚ very fast.”From their humble beginnings‚ the cichlids now thrive in Lake Victoria and occupy almost every imaginable niche in the ecosystem. They also look visibility different‚ boasting a variety of different shapes‚ sizes‚ colors‚ and forms.“The species are super different too. Some are algae scrapers‚ others eat zooplankton‚ and others are top predators that eat other fish‚” Dr Meier explained.The team thinks this astonishing situation came about because the lake’s water would’ve been very murky when it first refilled. This meant that the cichlids couldn’t tell each other’s colors and found it difficult to identify different species. Shrouded by the muddy waters‚ a festival of hybridization took place. The success of cichlid hybridization in Lake Victoria challenges one of the oldest assumptions about evolution that two different species can not reproduce and create viable or fertile offspring. As opposed to hybrids always being an evolutionary dead-end‚ it is possible for them to become a positive force in the survival of a gene.Many hybrids born to parents of different species won’t be successful and might even be infertile. However‚ for a lucky few‚ the combination of genes could provide them with an advantage over their peers‚ helping them to survive and reproduce.“They are generating a lot of genetic diversity. Even if some of them are doing really badly‚ it can still be beneficial if some are doing well‚” Meier told IFLScience.This doesn’t just apply to cichlids in Lake Victoria‚ either. If you look around‚ you’ll be able to see glimpses of introgressive hybridization within the genome of most living animals‚ from butterflies and spiders to marine mammals.“With new genomic technologies to sequence DNA‚ we now see that basically all species – including humans – have some parts of the DNA that are derived from another species‚ which suggests that there was hybridization in the past‚” Meier explained. Indeed‚ if you look at the genome of many modern humans‚ you can find genetic evidence of Homo sapiens breeding with both Neanderthals and Denisovans‚ two other species of hominin that have since fallen into extinction. For better or for worse‚ humans are also the products of hybridization. In the case of some people living in East Asia‚ there is evidence that Denisovan DNA has helped them to acclimatize to higher altitudes. On the other hand‚ Neanderthal DNA in the genome of people from Europe can lead to a higher risk of some diseases‚ including COVID-19 and depression. The study challenges the idea that hybrization always end in a genetic dead-end. “Under certain circumstances‚ some hybrids may actually be doing better. It's possible that in most circumstances they are not‚ but in some they are‚” Meier said. The study is published in the journal Science. An earlier version of this article was published in October 2023.

Donald Trump’s big victories in Iowa and New Hampshire sucked a lot of the suspense and drama out of those contests. However those wins did give leftist media hacks a chance to insult Trump-supporting voters in Iowa and New Hampshire as fans of a racist who likes to “break the law and rape women.” The departure of Ron DeSantis from the race gave leftist journalists one final opportunity to take swipes at the Florida Governor as a “spectacular failure” who deserved to lose because he “targeted” women‚ blacks and LGBTQ+ Americans. Meanwhile‚ the liberal ladies of ABC’s The View called Senator Tim Scott’s endorsement of the “Grand Wizard” Trump‚ “cringe-worthy.”  The following is just a small sampling of the worst media outbursts post the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary:    Iowa Republicans Like Their Presidential Candidates to Be Nuclear Secret Stealing Rapists     “People in Iowa said not only do they like their candidates that judges say raped women‚ they’re more likely to vote for their candidates if judges say they raped women and they stole nuclear secrets and they‚ they gave away plans….let people in their own campaign hear top secret plans on America’s plans to invade Iran….That’s ‘Iowa Nice‚’ baby. That’s ‘Iowa Nice’ as defined in 2024….Republicans‚ again‚ in 2024‚ they like guys that like [to] break the law and rape women.”— Co-host Joe Scarborough on MSNBC’s Morning Joe‚ January 17.   Dumping On DeSantis     “Can you think of a single Republican primary contender who has embarrassed themselves more or tarnished their reputation more than Governor Ron DeSantis?...Just a horrible retail politician all around. I don’t think I’ve seen someone as cringeworthy as Ron DeSantis trying to shake hands with kids or adults or anyone in a room. Trying to have a beer was just awkward for this guy….Look at the list of people Ron DeSantis targeted: Women with the abortion ban; Black Americans with the way he arrested voters‚ and also banning of books and denying them history; LGBTQ plus Americans; the migrants; the parents of transgender children; COVID-19 and what that meant for the thousands of people in Florida who lost their lives because their governor did not take it seriously. I mean‚ the list just goes on and on and on. This was a consequential individual who has done a lot of damage to his state.”— Host Ayman Mohyeldin on MSNBC’s Ayman‚ January 21. “It seems to me that you have a choice. You have to pick a lane. And Donald Trump had the MAGA lane‚ had the extreme MAGA lane. And so‚ here you had Fat Elvis ‘77‚ and you had Ron DeSantis saying‚ ‘I’m going to go to Vegas‚ and I’m going to fill that lane‚’ right?...This is a perfect analogy. Because who in the hell is going to go see a knock-off of Donald Trump 2024?”— Co-host Joe Scarborough on MSNBC’s Morning Joe‚ January 22.    Disney Employees a Little Too Giddy Over DeSantis Departure     Co-host George Stephanopoulos: “The New York Times had the right headline this morning on DeSantis: ‘Implosion of his campaign.’”ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent Jon Karl: “This is — was a spectacular failure‚ one of the greatest in all of American politics!”— ABC’s Good Morning America‚ January 22.    Trump Primary Wins  = “The Great Emasculation of the GOP”     “If you have principles‚ if you meant what you said‚ Tim Scott‚ when you said we could choose grievance or greatness‚ if you meant that‚ you could say‚ ‘Listen‚ I’m not endorsing this. I think it’s time to move on‚’ and kind of take your chances….No one wants to lose their job‚ and it’s so craven and small‚ but that’s where the Republican party is at right now….And maybe one of the only people that can sort of sidestep the great emasculation of the GOP by Donald Trump is a woman. Maybe just maybe‚ Nikki Haley has more balls than the rest of us.”— CNN host S.E. Cupp on CNN This Morning‚ January 25.    Trashing Tim Scott As a Brainwashed Puppet     “I’d like to just talk about Tim Scott for a moment. And how uncomfortable he looked behind Donald Trump and the cringe-worthy moment. He is up his body. But he’s in ‘The Sunken Place.’....He’s running for Vice President. He endorses Trump on a Friday and then gets engaged on a Saturday. And announces his engagement on a Sunday because it’s like‚ ‘Pick me. I’m getting married this year.’ And no other Vice President has been unmarried‚ right‚ and has been successful so it just screams ‘I want to be your Vice President. I love you.’”— Co-host Sunny Hostin on ABC’s The View‚ January 24. “The Sunken Place‚” is a reference to the movie Get Out by writer-director Jordan Peele. As explained by The Wrap‚ in the movie‚ white women seduce black men and bring them to be “kidnapped‚ sold into a form of slavery‚ and lobotomized so that his body can be hijacked by the white person who purchased him.”   Donald “Grand Wizard” Trump Forced Iowa Voters To Risk Their Lives For Him     “They [Iowa caucus voters] voted for a guy [Donald Trump] who today had to come to New York to show up in court in a case against a woman that a federal judge has already said he raped. That is who you voted for. You voted for someone who has lost so many times now that this [gestures an ‘L’ on her forehead] applies to him….You voted for a guy who said‚ ‘Come‚ risk your lives for the grand wizard. Come‚ in the snow and the sleet because I am more important than your life.’”— Co-host Joy Behar ABC’s The View‚ January 16.   The Kind of Wisdom That Can Only Come From the Women of The View     “I don’t understand why everyone is backing Nikki Haley‚ especially women. I remember when Hillary Clinton was running‚ there was a lot of talk about ‘I don’t vote for someone just because she has a vagina.’ Well‚ last I checked Nikki Haley has one too.”— Co-host Sunny Hostin on ABC’s The View‚ January 11. 

The fact that a union endorsed a Democrat is not exactly Earth-shattering news‚ but that didn’t stop Friday PBS NewsHour anchor Amna Nawaz from trying to claim that is as she hailed President Joe Biden’s allegedly “objectively good week.” Addressing Washington Post associate editor Jonathan Capehart‚ Nawaz proclaimed‚ “We should also note‚ President Biden had an objectively good week this week. There were more strong economic numbers. He got a big endorsement from the United Auto Workers union.”     Nawaz also observed‚ “He's really shifting into much more of a general election campaign mode. You have got key advisers like Jen O'Malley Dillon and Mike Donilon‚ architects of his 2020 win‚ now shifting to the campaign from the White House. Are they in a more general election mode now? And what does that mean for the campaign?” Capehart agreed and hyped the campaign equating Donald Trump and Nikki Haley‚ “As we saw‚ I think it was New Hampshire Primary night‚ when the Biden campaign put out a statement slamming Donald Trump‚ but also slamming Nikki Haley‚ saying it‚ you know doesn't matter. She — basically‚ she's Trump-lite. She supports all the things that he supports. So bring it on‚ no matter which one comes out there.” Further hyping the launch of Biden 2024‚ Capehart continued: But I do think that the campaign shifting into general election mode now is the smart thing to do‚ and it's the necessary thing to do‚ because we know‚ with Donald Trump‚ he's constantly in campaign mode‚ whether he's sitting in the courtroom or standing on the sidewalk giving a press conference or actually on a stage in Iowa or New Hampshire and I think the sooner that the Biden campaign gets out there‚ the more that it will be on. I just think everyone needs to buckle up‚ because between now and Election Day is going to be rough. Nawaz would then turn to Washington Free Beacon editor-in-chief Eliana Johnson and ask what Biden’s biggest vulnerabilities are and Johnson would bring a little more sense into the conversation after Nawaz’s “objectively good week” economic spin by declaring‚ “I don't think voters feel their situation is good.” Here is a transcript for the January 26 show: PBS NewsHour 1/26/2024 7:41 PM ET AMNA NAWAZ: We should also note‚ President Biden had an objectively good week this week. There were more strong economic numbers. He got a big endorsement from the United Auto Workers union. He's really shifting into much more of a general election campaign mode. You have got key advisers like Jen O'Malley Dillon and Mike Donilon‚ architects of his 2020 win‚ now shifting to the campaign from the White House. Are they in a more general election mode now? And what does that mean for the campaign? JONATHAN CAPEHART: Yes‚ they're in a general election mode now‚ because it looks like Donald Trump will be the Republican presidential nominee. It is‚ I think‚ a fight that they are looking — very much looking forward to have. As we saw‚ I think it was New Hampshire Primary night‚ when the Biden campaign put out a statement slamming Donald Trump‚ but also slamming Nikki Haley‚ saying it‚ you know doesn't matter. She — basically‚ she's Trump-lite. She supports all the things that he supports. So bring it on‚ no matter which one comes out there. But I do think that the campaign shifting into general election mode now is the smart thing to do‚ and it's the necessary thing to do‚ because we know‚ with Donald Trump‚ he's constantly in campaign mode‚ whether he's sitting in the courtroom or standing on the sidewalk giving a press conference or actually on a stage in Iowa or New Hampshire and I think the sooner that the Biden campaign gets out there‚ the more that it will be on. I just think everyone needs to buckle up‚ because between now and Election Day is going to be rough.

A mother in Oklahoma held an HIV-positive youth sports coach at gunpoint after discovering him sexually abusing her young daughter inside her own home‚ according to Fox News Digital.The authorities said the suspect‚ Donovan Scott Sheppard‚ 39‚ was involved in a bar fight on January 13 before being picked up by the mother. He was staying with the mother and daughter when the incident occurred. Sheppard had coached youth baseball in the area for several years.The 12-year-old girl told investigators that "[h]e raped me" after her mother made the horrifying discovery.The minor was asleep when her mother and Sheppard returned home on the night of the bar fight. After the mother went to sleep‚ Sheppard reportedly entered the girl's room. The mother awoke at some point during the night and discovered Sheppard raping her daughter.The authorities were soon contacted‚ and when they arrived they discovered the mother holding Sheppard at gunpoint‚ per reports.Sheppard previously served as a youth baseball coach for a team called the Oklahoma Aftermath. During questioning‚ he admitted to the police that he was HIV-positive and that he had not worn a condom during the sexual assault‚ according to the Kansas City Star.The minor said that this was not the first time Sheppard had raped her. She claimed he had raped her six times since she was 11 years old. One of the attacks happened on her 12th birthday‚ according to the authorities.Sheppard was arrested and taken into custody following the incident. He is currently being held on $500‚000 bond at the Cleveland County Jail. Fox News Digital reported that he was charged with "lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child; engaging in a pattern of criminal offenses; exposing others to AIDS; rape‚ first degree; and rape by instrumentation."According to the National Center for Victims of Crime‚ approximately 1 in 5 girls are the victims of child sex abuse‚ whereas 1 in 20 boys are the victims of child sex abuse. The report mentioned that during a one-year period in the U.S.‚ 16% of those between the ages of 14 and 17 had been sexually abused. And throughout an entire lifetime‚ 28% of U.S. youth between 14 and 17 have been sexually abused. Man allegedly molests young girl and possibly exposes her to HIV www.youtube.com Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

The album‚ says the announcement‚ “offers an unstoppable flow of future Knopfler classics‚ with their customarily learned lyrics and refined guitar textures." The post Mark Knopfler to Release Solo Studio Album‚ ‘One Deep River’ appeared first on Best Classic Bands.

Go Mecha Ball could easily get lost in the sea of excellent Game Pass releases this month and beyond‚ but it really shouldn’t. I’ve been playing the fast-paced twin-stick roguelike on and off and can safely say that if you’re a fan of the genre‚ and especially entries like Hades and Enter the Gungeon‚ you don’t want to miss this one. Continue reading New Game Pass and Steam roguelike nails what the genre needs most MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best indie games‚ Best roguelike games‚ Best upcoming games

If you were looking to spend this year’s Valentine’s Day romancing an eldritch god‚ you may be out of luck. Sucker For Love: Date to Die For‚ the horny horror game that sees you paired up with a sexy spin on the Lovecraftian Black Goat of the Woods‚ has been delayed by developer Joseph ‘Akabaka’ Hunter. The much-anticipated sequel to the beloved Sucker For Love: First Date‚ which itself boasts an ‘overwhelmingly positive’ 98% Steam user rating‚ was set to launch on Wednesday‚ February 14 via Steam‚ but has been pushed back to ensure the quality of the final game. Continue reading Steam’s horniest horror game sequel has been delayed MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best horror games‚ Best adventure games‚ Best indie games

The next game from Palworld developer Pocketpair already has a demo‚ right after it went viral for looking an awful lot‚ at least visually‚ like Team Cherry’s Hollow Knight. So if you want to try the Metroidvana meets roguelike with multiplayer‚ or just want to see what all the fuss was about‚ now you can do so firsthand. Continue reading Palworld dev’s take on Hollow Knight finally has a Steam demo MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best Metroidvania games‚ Best indie games‚ Free PC games

SCOTUS issued a temporary order allowing Border Patrol agents to cut the concertina wire that Texas installed along the border with Mexico.