Virginity jokes are usually lazy, but a massive study suggests the stereotype of the brainy loner who never has sex has some genetic truth behind it. The research links higher intelligence to a higher likelihood of never having sex at all.
As reported by PsyPost, scientists analyzed data from more than 400,000 UK adults and 13,500 Australians. About one percent said they had never had sex, and that sliver of the population carried distinctive traits.
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Their genes correlated with intelligence, more years of schooling, and lower use of alcohol and drugs. There were also overlaps with introversion, autism spectrum disorder, and anorexia, while links to depression, ADHD, and substance issues came in weaker.
“Genes accounted for about 15 percent of the variation in whether someone had sex,” co-author Laura Wesseldijk told PsyPost. “No single gene explains it—it’s hundreds of tiny effects stacking together.”
Beyond the DNA, the profiles looked familiar. Men in this group often had lower grip strength and muscle mass, while both men and women were more likely to have worn glasses at a young age. Region also mattered. Men living in places with fewer women were less likely to report sexual experience, and sexlessness showed up more often in areas with high income inequality.
Patterns in social well-being revealed another layer. Many adults without sexual experience reported fewer close friends, stronger feelings of isolation, and less day-to-day happiness. Some participants considered themselves asexual, while others simply never entered a sexual relationship. Researchers say sexlessness exists across a spectrum shaped by genetic factors, social conditions, and individual preference.
The researchers stressed that the findings don’t point to one clear cause. Sex, like everything else, runs on a convoluted mix of biology, environment, and luck. This study just gives that mix a sharper outline, and it suggests that raw intelligence might not always be an advantage in the dating pool.
The cliché about smart people striking out in bed has teeth. For the first time, scientists can point to the DNA that ties higher intelligence to sexless adulthood.
