The Michael Shermer Show The Evolutionary Roots of Love, Sex, and Jealousy
Feb 3, 2026
Justin R. Garcia, evolutionary biologist and Kinsey Institute director, explores the biology and cultural twists of love and sex. He explains why intimacy commands such high value, how pair bonding and jealousy shape behavior, and the tensions between desire, technology, and consent. Short, revealing conversations about dating, infidelity, and how modern tools reshape relationships.
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Kinsey Went From Wasps To Human Sex
- Michael Shermer recounts Alfred Kinsey's shift from entomology to human sexuality after finding little literature on the topic.
- Kinsey applied big-data approaches from wasp collection to human sexual behavior research.
Most Expensive Service Was Intimacy
- Justin Garcia describes visiting legal brothels in Pahrump, Nevada and finding the most expensive service was the 'girlfriend experience'.
- He highlights that people will pay far more for feigned intimacy than for raw sexual services.
Love Increases Sexual Pleasure
- Garcia reports survey data showing both men and women say sex is more pleasurable when they love their partner.
- Relationship satisfaction and sexual satisfaction are tightly linked across genders.
