Rebecca Kamm: Women's bisexuality explained

Women are more likely to be bisexual than men. Photo / Thinkstock

This week in Women's Studies: ladies are explained by albatrosses; driving myths are shattered; and good news for Nigella.

We're more likely to be bisexual

A new hypothesis, published in the journal Evolutionary Psychology, says women may be more "hetero-flexible" because cavemen sometimes deserted us, and pairing up with another female was a way to still provide the family unit needed to raise tiny cave people.

"Being born with the ability to [be attracted to men and women] may have been beneficial to ancestral women," said Barry X. Kuhle, the study's co-author.

According to Live Science, "Kuhle looked to other animals for clues. The Laysan albatross's ability to form same-sex bonds may help them alloparent, or raise young that are not their own."

Sexual fluidity in women is something scientists very much enjoy pondering. Several studies have shown we're more likely to be okay or into the idea of other women, even when we're primarily hetero, but a definitive evolutionary explanation has yet to be settled upon.

Personally, I would think it could also have something to do with society's acceptance (read: fetishisation) of straight women with other women, versus our continued discomfort around straight men hooking up with other men? But I'm no scientist, so The End.

We're better drivers

It's official, you guys: ladies are the best drivers EVER. All those taunts? Jealousy of our skills behind the wheel, obviously.

According to a study released by NZ-based Quality Planning, an analytics company that validates policyholder information for auto insurers (zzz...) men break more traffic laws and just generally drive more dangerously. Cited for reckless driving 3.41 times more than women, they also cause more accidents - and when men crash they really crash, compared to our feminine scrapes and bumps.

Boasting aside, be careful, dudes. Take a leaf out of our/my book and ignore that douchebag up your bottom with their car, trying to make you go faster. They can kiss your careful arse. (That should really be a bumper sticker.)

We're much happier post-divorce

Good news for Nigella, soon to be free of her pathology-ridden adman: women tend to be more satisfied with their lives than their ex-spouse once the marriage is annulled.

A study on "adaptation in wellbeing to major life events" involved the analysis of 10,000 people between 16 and 60 over 20 years. Participants were regularly asked about their mental health following milestones such as divorce, the death of a spouse and job loss as researchers looked into the psychological process of "adaptation" (peoples' ability to bounce back - or not - when 'bad' things happen to them).

Interestingly, unemployment stood out as the hardest event to get over, especially for men, whose happiness was impacted by job-loss for up to five years. Apparently, getting a new job doesn't help that much because you still went through the trauma of losing your old one. Which is pretty relevant in these uncertain times, so keep your therapist close.

But back to the divorced ladies: they were significantly happier than usual for up to five years after the split, whereas men only felt slightly happier. Cue: "Cause she took all his money!" Yeah, no.

Debate on this article is now closed.