The female orgasm has long been a mysterious and, for some, elusive thing.
Scientifically speaking, there has been a lot of confusion as to why it's even around.
Many have believed it to be a divine evolutionary accident, a by-product of the A-sexual foetus we all start off as, much like male nipples.
However, a few theories about how the female orgasm could be evolutionarily advantageous have been doing the rounds.
Most obviously, it could be for the same reason men have them, to encourage intercourse, but due to the previously mentioned elusive nature of the female orgasm, this seems unlikely.
Some have posited that the challenging aspect could, in fact, be the key.
Women are actually testing their partner's ability, sort of like a quality check to see if they are any good.
Another is that it bonds the pair, which is quite sweet really, isn't it?
The last theory is that it helps fertility as a sucking motion, but we reckon that is too gross to be true.
Well, there's a new study, published recently in an evolutionary psychology journal, that indicates the 'quality check' theory might carry some weight, in that the frequency and intensity of the female orgasm acts as 'feedback' for the woman on her choice of mate.
So far, the study has only been done on heterosexual women in committed relationships, but here are some of the findings.
Some are obvious, like we favour men with broad shoulders and general attractiveness.
Also, whether our friends find our boyfriends attractive apparently helps with the intensity of our climax.
Two big factors involved in the intensity and frequency of the participant's orgasms were how much they liked their partner's family and how much their partner earned.
Which is creepy, but also relatable.
Self-confidence, motivation, intelligence, focus, and determination all contribute to the big O, as well creating a higher incidence of the women actually instigating the sex.
No surprise to any of us, there was one thing that trumped it all, over the hunky shoulders, nice mum, high IQ, you guessed it, sense of humour.
Not only can you laugh us into bed, but you can laugh us to climax too.
Something makes us think men don't quite work the same way though?
Although a nice family, a good sense of humour and intelligence may well rank high in a heterosexual man's priority in a partner, we doubt her personality increases the intensity or frequency of his not-so elusive orgasm.
This study has essentially underpinned everything we already knew about how men and women view sex, women as complex, intelligent and emotional beings and men, well, possibly not so much.
Anyway, no point crying over spilt milk, here's to the funny guys.
Daisy Murray is the Digital Fashion Editor at ELLE UK, spotlighting emerging designers, sustainable shopping, and celebrity style. Since joining in 2016 as an editorial intern, Daisy has run the gamut of fashion journalism - interviewing Molly Goddard backstage at London Fashion Week, investigating the power of androgynous dressing and celebrating the joys of vintage shopping.
