Why do we keep our belly buttons all our lives, while in most mammals who nurse their young, these disappear when they mature? Scientists think they indicate the mating potential of fertile women.

During pregnancy, the umbilical cord supplies a baby with nutrients and oxygen from the mother. After birth, it’s clamped and snipped, leaving a short stump that eventually falls off. It’s not known exactly why there are so many shapes of belly buttons. Most people prefer belly buttons that don’t protrude.

In LiveScience, Robert Roy Britt quotes researcher Aki Sinkkonen as saying, “I propose that umbilicus [belly button], together with the surrounding skin area, is an honest signal of individual vigor. More precisely, I suggest that the symmetry, shape, and position of umbilicus can be used to estimate the reproductive potential of fertile females, including risks of certain genetically and maternally inherited fetal anomalies.

“I suggest that umbilicus is a fitness signal. I may be wrong. However, many mammals do not have a visible umbilicus. We have, but it does not have an obvious function, except signaling. If further research confirms the signaling hypothesis, female umbilici may be routinely measured to detect risk pregnancies of several fetal abnormalities.”

So males who want to father a child know what to look for. But since most of them don’t have this information?even if the girl they are interested in takes off her clothes?their search must be instinctive, an unconscious sense of “I’m attracted to this one rather than that one.” They probably think it’s her face, her hair?or even her personality, but WE know the truth: it’s her belly button!

The lust generated by the umbilicus can last long past a woman’s fertile years. Romance does not have to fizzle out in long-term relationships and progress into a companionship/friendship-type love. Romantic love can last a lifetime and lead to happier, healthier relationships. Maybe this has something to do with lots of kissing?

Psychologist Bianca P. Acevedo thinks lovers should have it all: “Couples should strive for love with all the trimmings,” she says, “and couples who’ve been together a long time and wish to get back their romantic edge should know it is an attainable goal that, like most good things in life, requires energy and devotion.” Something not everyone who reads this website knows: Anne Strieber writes about how to add sizzle to your sex life in the diet book that’s FREE on our website!Art credit: freeimages.co.uk

Not feeling too sexy lately, due to the recession? Do you need a job? We don’t have the belly button solution for your love life, but we have a good one: subscribe to unknowncountry.com and make NEW FRIENDS by joining in on our weekly Wednesday chats. You may not meet the mate of your dreams, but we guarantee that you?ll meet lots of great new friends that way?people who think like you do! Our next chat is Wednesday, March 25.

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