Usually, we don't like science interfering with our sex lives (except when it's the Pill, of course). But in
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex
, best-selling author Mary Roach has managed to find the funny in coital research. She spent two years unearthing the quirky technicalities of the way we make love. We put in a call to Roach to, er, probe her.
Q: What aspect of sex research especially caught your attention?
A:
There's such a thing as a penis camera. Someone came up with a way to document female arousal by putting a camera in what is essentially a dildo.
Q: What's the hottest area of research?
A:
The study of women's sexual desire and libido is at an all-time high, because that's where all the pharmaceutical funding is.
Q: Is the hope for a Viagra for women?
A:
Viagra does have a physiological effect, but it doesn't make women feel aroused. Nowadays, researchers are looking at drugs that affect the central nervous system rather than blood flow to the genitals.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
Q: Where are the other challenges in research?
A:
Pure anatomical research is almost nonexistent: It's difficult to get funding because there's perceived to be no practical application for the information. Yet if you don't understand the physiology of a biological system or process-like female sexual arousal-you can't possibly come up with a way to fix it when things go wrong. No one would have come up with a treatment for diabetes if physiologists hadn't figured out how metabolism, blood sugar, and insulin work.
Q: How hands-on was your research?
A:
At one point, my husband and I had to participate in a study because it was the only way I could learn about how the research is done [nonresearchers aren't allowed to observe]. So, we had to get an ultrasound during sex while the lead researcher was sitting there, inches away from us. It was harder for my husband. He's the one who had to, as they say, achieve and maintain. I was essentially a receptacle. It was the weirdest sex I've ever had.
-
Zendaya Goes Back to Tennis Basics
She just wore a tennis set anyone can shop.
By Julia Gray Published
-
Taylor Swift’s Elementary School Teachers Say She “Was Always Writing Poetry”
Turns out, the “Bad Blood” singer was a tortured poet at a very young age.
By Danielle Campoamor Published
-
'Fallout' Will Return For More Wasteland Adventures in Season 2
The Prime Video adaptation turns a classic video game into a gruesome thrill ride.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
The 22 Best Vibrators, According to Sex Toy Experts
The best options, for every preference and price range.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
The Best Period Sex Tips, According to Sex Experts
Who says messy can't be sexy?
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
The 20 Best Sex Games for Couples in 2023
Who said game nights need to be wholesome?
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
The 14 Best Lubes for Every Need
Good sex should always go smoothly.
By Gabrielle Ulubay Last updated
-
COVID Forced My Polyamorous Marriage to Become Monogamous
For Melanie LaForce, pandemic-induced social distancing guidelines meant she could no longer see men outside of her marriage. But monogamy didn't just change her relationship with her husband—it changed her relationship with herself.
By Melanie LaForce Published
-
100 Sex Songs That Won't Make You Cringe
Dim the lights and hit play on this sex songs — the perfect playlist of songs to have sex to.
By The Editors Published
-
75 Real Sex Scenes in Movies
These actors aren't faking anything.
By Mehera Bonner Last updated
-
33 Unexpected Valentine's Day 2023 Date Ideas
A.k.a. not dinner and roses.
By The Editors Published