Relationships

Forget happily ever after — women would rather live their lives in misery with an empathetic partner. A new Harvard University study has found women are far more satisfied with their relationships when their partner shares their anger or unhappiness. Men, on the other hand are pleased when their partner is happy, but would rather […]

Folklore dictates that on February 29 — the special ‘leap-day’ that comes but once every four years — the traditional rules of marriage proposals are thrown out the window and women can get down on one knee. The role-reversing deal is believed to have been struck between St Patrick and St Bridget during the fifth […]

A Black Saturday fire-fighter who kicked his former partner in the head so hard it snapped her optic nerve and blinded her in one eye has been given a bravery award by the Royal Humane Society of Australasia. In a ceremony attended by Victorian Governor Alex Curnov and other dignitaries at Melbourne Town Hall on […]

Single women worldwide can breathe a sigh of relief — it turns out men aren’t dying out after all. Previous research suggested that men would become extinct within the next five million years. But a new study of rhesus macaque monkeys — one of man’s most distant cousins — found that although the Y chromosome […]

For most, marriage is about love but a new US survey has found that many singles don’t necessarily marry for love. A Match.com survey, which surveyed 5000 people, found that men are more likely than women to marry someone who they don’t love. The survey found that 31 percent of men admitted they would marry […]

A simple scan can predict how long your romance will last, neuroscientists claim. Researchers from Brown University say a brain scan conducted at the very beginning of a relationship can determine whether a couple is destined for love and marriage or heartbreak. Study leader Xiaomeng Xu performed fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) scans on 18 […]

Relationships aren’t easy. Around every corner lurks another obstacle or pressure ready to test our partnerships. If it’s not our friend’s enviable love life being flaunted in front of us, then it’s romanticised movie portrayals that leave us feeling unfulfilled. If it’s not talk shows telling us what’s normal, then it’s self-help books telling us […]

New partner? Here's how to avoid contracting a STD.

Men often complain of feeling like they can’t do anything right in the eyes of their spouse — and a new study suggests they’re correct. A UK survey has found that more than two-thirds of women would suspect an affair if their husband was “too nice” to them. The poll of over 2000 women found […]

Arguing once a week is the secret to a happy relationship, a new study has found. An survey of married couples in India concluded that regular arguments made relationships stronger and happier, provided the fights didn’t become abusive. The research — conducted by relationship site Shaadi.com and market research agency IMRB — said people reported […]