Are Italians more sexy because of their higher genetic diversity ?

[Maciamo]

It is a scientifically proven fact that the more different the genetic make-up of two people, and particularily that of their MHC, the stronger will be the sexual attraction between them.

Our MHC give other people (unconscious) clues about our immune system. We are more attracted towards those with immune systems very different from ours, so that our offspring with them will inherit of both and be stronger.

Maybe that is one of the reason why it is so much easier to fall in love or find a partner abroad (at least for Europeans or Asians, not for people in countries founded on immigration) than at home. Maybe it is also why Americans, who live in a very ethnically diverse society (esp. in big cities) have more sex, get married more (fall more often in love ?) and divorce more (once the chemical love disappears).

As for Italians, they are the descendents of the citizens of one of history's biggest melting pot, Rome, capital of the Roman Empire for nearly 500 years. More than any other city in the empire, Rome attracted people from all over Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The Romans were notoriously promiscuous (esp. in Rome itself) and it was common for a man not to be sure whether his wife or concubine's children were really his - even at the top of the hierarchy (or maybe even more so).

In such an environment, it is likely that the men with the best genes (= the most sexy and attractive to women) transmitted their genes at a much higher rate than in more monogamous and faithful societies. After centuries of competition for the best genes, it is only natural that the offspring of the Romans ended up being more genetically attractive than elsewhere in the empire.

Southern Italy also benefited from the mixture between Greek, Italic, Arabic and Norman genes. Northern Italians have inherited of Celtic, Estruscan, Germanic (Gothic, Lombard, Bavarian) and Slavic/Illyrian (through Venice) genes.

The more northern, central and southern Italians intermingled during the 1500 years after the fall of Rome, the more those genes completed each others, giving modern Italians what is probably the most complex genetic make-up and the most competitive genetic attractiveness in the world, or at least in Europe.

This may be why both Italian females and (even more so ?) males seem to be irresistibly charming and sexy to most other people in the world.

It may simply be that they are the fruit of the most competive sexual selection in human history so far based on pure attractiveness (as opposed to wealth, power or whatever other factor).

[billthebutcher]

Yes, especially the Italian women.
Its just my humble opinion, indeed.

[JackMack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maciamo It is a scientifically proven fact that the more different the genetic make-up of two people, and particularily that of their MHC, the stronger will be the sexual attraction between them. Our MHC give other people (unconscious) clues about our immune system. We are more attracted towards those with immune systems very different from ours, so that our offspring with them will inherit of both and be stronger. Maybe that is one of the reason why it is so much easier to fall in love or find a partner abroad (at least for Europeans or Asians, not for people in countries founded on immigration) than at home. Maybe it is also why Americans, who live in a very ethnically diverse society (esp. in big cities) have more sex, get married more (fall more often in love ?) and divorce more (once the chemical love disappears). As for Italians, they are the descendents of the citizens of one of history's biggest melting pot, Rome, capital of the Roman Empire for nearly 500 years. More than any other city in the empire, Rome attracted people from all over Europe, North Africa and the Middle East. The Romans were notoriously promiscuous (esp. in Rome itself) and it was common for a man not to be sure whether his wife or concubine's children were really his - even at the top of the hierarchy (or maybe even more so). In such an environment, it is likely that the men with the best genes (= the most sexy and attractive to women) transmitted their genes at a much higher rate than in more monogamous and faithful societies. After centuries of competition for the best genes, it is only natural that the offspring of the Romans ended up being more genetically attractive than elsewhere in the empire. Southern Italy also benefited from the mixture between Greek, Italic, Arabic and Norman genes. Northern Italians have inherited of Celtic, Estruscan, Germanic (Gothic, Lombard, Bavarian) and Slavic/Illyrian (through Venice) genes. The more northern, central and southern Italians intermingled during the 1500 years after the fall of Rome, the more those genes completed each others, giving modern Italians what is probably the most complex genetic make-up and the most competitive genetic attractiveness in the world, or at least in Europe. This may be why both Italian females and (even more so ?) males seem to be irresistibly charming and sexy to most other people in the world. It may simply be that they are the fruit of the most competive sexual selection in human history so far based on pure attractiveness (as opposed to wealth, power or whatever other factor).

I agree-love the Italians!

[Marianne]

I am having a hard time distinguishing Italians (especially those from central Italy) from Greeks. It's only clear to me when they start talking :P

There is a saying in Greece: una faccia una razza (meaning same face same race) that we use when we are referring to Italians.

However, I have noticed that southern Italians look more exotic than the central/northern ones. Italian women from southern Italy are considered very sexy in Greece, in fact there are a few Italian actresses that are very successful at the Greek tv :P As for Italian men, i don't find them a lot sexier than the Greek ones, except for their language which I find really sexy

[Maciamo]

In terms of Y-DNA southern Italians are closer to Greeks than to northern Italians or anybody else. Southern Italy was colonised by Greeks in several waves from the Neolithic period to Classical Greece.

Based on my observations, the Italian sexiness is a nationwide phenomenon, although people in Central Italy (e.g. Rome and Naples) gave me the impression of being particularly sexy.

[Marianne]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maciamo In terms of Y-DNA southern Italians are closer to Greeks than to northern Italians or anybody else. Southern Italy was colonised by Greeks in several waves from the Neolithic period to Classical Greece.

Yes and that surprises me. We learn that Greeks colonised southern Italy at elementary school but when I see southern Italians they look more Spanish than Greeks compared to central Italians that in my opinion look more like Greeks. Maybe it has to do with the fact that southern Italy was colonised by others also.

[JackMack]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marianne Yes and that surprises me. We learn that Greeks colonised southern Italy at elementary school but when I see southern Italians they look more Spanish than Greeks compared to central Italians that in my opinion look more like Greeks. Maybe it has to do with the fact that southern Italy was colonised by others also.

That's odd because through all of my extensive travels in Italy the southern Italians were generally lighter in appearance then the central italians and only small enclaves in northern Italy were the lighest.

[Maciamo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by JackMack That's odd because through all of my extensive travels in Italy the southern Italians were generally lighter in appearance then the central italians and only small enclaves in northern Italy were the lighest.

This map of fair hair frequency in Italy was published by Renato Biasutti based on earlier data from Rodolfo Livi. There is a clear north-south gradient, with fairer hair in the North. I don't see why you want to argue the opposite. Are you a blond-haired southern Italian who has issues with southerners not being as blond as northerners or what ?

[PreteRosso]

As an Italian I have to spend some words on this very interesting topic. It is commonly believed that Southern Italians have very dark traits, and for sure darker than Northern and Central Italians. While this can be considered true as a rule of thumb, it is true nonetheless that in Southern Italy you can find the largest volatility of physical features. It is probably the European region with the highest dispersion of traits, because it has been conquered, among the others, by: Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Turks, Arabs, Lombards, Normans, French, Spaniards. So that's why someone can find Central Italians in a sense darker, or anyway more homogeneous, more similar to the image of the "typical" Italian.
Except maybe for Calabria, in any other place of Southern Italy a family with Moorish ancestors, looking almost Middle-Eastern, can live in the same building as a family with German ancestors, that looks totally Northern European. That is an incredible variety, difficult to find in any other place of Europe (except for big migration cities). I am myself an example of this mixture, my parents being two Southeners with totally different genetic traits (one dark-skinned and dark-haired and one descendant of Norman migrants).
There is not a typical Italian: there are only more common features (like dark hair) and places with less variety of characteristics.
And of course, this wide melting of DNAs favoured our being so good-looking! ;).

[Genocentrist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marianne Yes and that surprises me. We learn that Greeks colonised southern Italy at elementary school but when I see southern Italians they look more Spanish than Greeks compared to central Italians that in my opinion look more like Greeks. Maybe it has to do with the fact that southern Italy was colonised by others also.

It depends what you consider Central Italy?

To me Italy varies town to town, the division of South, Central & north is not Enough.

I apologize I don't think admixture means beautiful, otherwise the South Bronx will be heaven on Earth

Italy was a strong civilized region for a very long time, which means crude males had lower chances to mate with beautiful females. In civilized socieities the better looking males advance easier & have more sex making more children. Its really up to the females & males any society can become near perfect if reproduction is restricted to the best (whatever these people standards are)

Admixture allows chances for better breeding, but not all the time. Sometimes we get by unattractive results, next time you visit NYC take a drive in South Bronx (very mixed area) and try to find an attractive female

[Genocentrist]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maciamo This map of fair hair frequency in Italy was published by Renato Biasutti based on earlier data from Rodolfo Livi. There is a clear north-south gradient, with fairer hair in the North. I don't see why you want to argue the opposite. Are you a blond-haired southern Italian who has issues with southerners not being as blond as northerners or what ?

Beautiful Map it shows Sardinia dark hair which is additional evidence that the modern Sardinians are the closest to the native Paleolithic I2 - Dinarid Europids