Let’s Talk About Sex

— The Science, the Script, the Human Right Why do we do ’it,’ fundamentally—have sex? Sex researchers, locally and abroad, are trying to drive home that it’s about a basic human right: pleasure. By Amy Nelson and Erik Tormoen Elbow-to-elbow, Minnesotans are filling up a large side room in Fulton Brewery on a Tuesday night …

How a Polyamorous Mom Had ‘a Big Sexual Adventure’ and Found Herself

— In her memoir, “More,” Molly Roden Winter recounts the highs and lows of juggling an open marriage with work and child care. By Alexandra Alter For anyone prone to experiencing secondhand embarrassment, there’s a scene in Molly Roden Winter’s debut, “More: A Memoir of Open Marriage,” that should come with a warning. Winter is …

Top 10 Shocking Ways Technology Could Change Sex in the Future

— Have you ever considered the ways technological advances could transform human relationships? From male contraceptive medications, to personalized 3D printed sex toys, to haptic suits that could allow us to experience pornography more directly, there are a variety of unexpected ways tech will shape the future of sex. WatchMojo counts down ten future technologies …

‘We have not had sex since the dog came into our lives’

— When pets affect human relationships From prophetic pooches to clingy cats, Guardian readers share tales of how pets have influenced their love lives, for better and worse By Doosie Morris While humans have kept domesticated animals for tens of thousands of years, there’s no evidence that anyone was ever driven out of a cave …

How Long Is Too Long Without Sex in a Relationship?

— The answer is…complicated. By Kayla Blanton If you and your significant other suddenly feel a bit distant—whether it’s due to a post-honeymoon dip in excitement or the wedge of chaotic work schedules—it’s easy to spiral about the relationship’s fate, and Google: How long is too long to go without sex? There, you’ll find plenty …

How Lube Helped Me Unlock A New Level Of Sexual Pleasure

By Hilary Shepherd I recently located my clitoris, which, at 33 years old, sounds way overdue. Alone, inspired by a conversation I had with a sex therapist, and apparently horny on a Saturday night, I decided to forgo my rotating collection of vibrating sex toys, which I’d always enjoyed while watching porn and wearing underwear …

The surprising reason why mammals engage in same-sex mating

— A new paper suggests same-sex activity may help mammals’ social relationships By Maggie Penman Same-sex sexual activity pervades the animal kingdom — it’s been observed in at least 1,500 animal species, from crickets to seagulls to penguins — but it’s still not well understood. A new paper suggests one explanation: Same-sex sexual activity may …

Study on evolution of same-sex animal behaviors underscores stigmas in research

By Swati Thapa A new study tracing the evolution of same-sex sexual behavior in mammals, using phylogenetic analyses, suggests these behaviors may have evolved in part to strengthen social bonding and relationships. Same-sex sexual behavior was observed in 261 species, which constitutes 4% of all mammal species; the research adds to a growing list of …