What do women find attractive in men? Is it being physically fit, with a muscular body, like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson? Is it being suave, with an impeccable taste in style, like Idris Elba? Or is it having a lot of money, like Scrooge McDuck, who was voted "World's Most Sexiest Duck" ten years in a row? This mystery has haunted men for centuries - until now! Thanks to a recent poll, we finally know what women fancy. For years, we dudes have sought this elusive information. It's the most precious of treasures - The Ark of the Covenant, The Crown Jewels of King John and Dr. Dre's Detox all rolled into one. And guess what? It turns out that women what find attractive can be really, really weird...

1. Beer bellies. Finally! An excuse to cancel that gym membership.

2. Sweat pants. The only kind of pants you need.

3. Being cool with periods. Want to talk about your cycle, girl? I am bloody psyched.

4. Ankles. That's it -- I'm never wearing shoes or socks again. (Hey, if you've got it, flaunt it)

5. A sleepy voice. Because there's nothing sexier than Ben Stein.

6. Veins. I always knew women were vein.

7. Being handy around the house. (And as a bonus, while you're fixing something, you can loosen your belt, and show a little "back cleavage")

8. Hands. I bet Goro from Mortal Kombat gets so much play.

9. Giving tight hugs. But not so tight they'll suffocate. That's how Superman killed Lois Lane. Rest in peace.

10. Playing baseball. Or having something in common with your girlfriend's dead grandfather? Hire a medium and interview your girlfriend's dead grandfather.

11. Singing off-key. Sorry, Harry Styles - you're not as sexy as me singing "Despacito" in the shower.

12. Calloused hands. This is why Boro, Goro from Mortal Kombat's blue collar brother, who's a mechanic, gets so much play.

13. His smell "after a long, hard of work." Why doesn't Axe Body Spray make this scent?

14. Knowing complicated words. Well, isn't that serendipitous, for an ebullient, loquacious lothario such as myself?

15. Being a dad. That's it - I'm renting a kid. Can you rent kids? There's gotta be a Netflix for kids. If not, I'm hiring a little person to pretend to be my kid.

16. Having "attractive necks to hickie." Apparently, some girls are vampires. Bring it on, Bella.

17. Necks, in general. Uh, okay? Turns out a lot of women are neck-romancers.

Hey, it explains why Yarael Poof from the Jedi Council in Star Wars got so much play. But knowing who Yarael Poof is does not get any play. Seriously, guys. We learned a lot about what women find attractive today, but do not under any circumstances mention Yarael Poof. Trust me.

If you ask a dude what they find attractive in women, you are likely to get two types of answers. You'll either get a brutally honest caveman answer of "boobs" and "butt", or you'll get a more sensitive one about personality, uniqueness or intelligence. Or at least, you do most of the time. There are some guys who find particular things women do seductive, even if they're innocuous actions the object of their affections doesn't even notice they are doing. No, we're not going as far as to dive into the myriad fetishes you can find over the internet, but still things you would never expect. One thing the internet tends to bring out in people is honesty, which means that we could find and collect all kinds of examples of these surprising attractions from real people across the world.

1. Choker necklaces

"For some reason I just love a girl with a choker necklace" - Reddit

2. Tied-back hair

"Eye contact while tying her hair up" - Reddit

3. Hand communication

"Anytime a girl talks with her hands."

"Like if she has very animated hand gestures, I find that really cute" - Thought Catalog

4. Ponytail hat combo

"Ponytails pulled through baseball caps" - Thought Catalog

5. Messy eaters

"Girls who can devour sauce covered chicken wings and aren’t afraid to dive in there without hesitation, be aggressive and get messy." - Thought Catalog

6. Clumsy

"Clumsiness. Like a mild, woman version of Steve Urkel. Tripping, spilling things, knocking stuff over. Weird, but I like it." - Thought Catalog

7. A sarcastic type

"Extreme sarcasm – like, to the point where it’s debatable if she loves me or completely hates my existence."- Thought Catalog

8. Not the most organised

"Women that have reminders written on the backs of their hands"

"I can't explain it even if my life depended on it." - Reddit

9. A sour look

"Girls with resting bitch face" - Reddit

10. Yawning

"When girls yawn or when they stretch"

"Idk why it looks cute and attractive" - Reddit

11. Looking disinterested

"When she's doing something and not paying attention to me. This is going to sound creepy but I love looking at my girlfriend when she's doing something and not paying attention to me.

"It's hard to describe but seeing her truly into something is attractive." - Reddit

If you already thought it was hard enough to know exactly what men wanted, you're probably even more confused by now. It's a bit alarming that a resting bitch face and disinterested looks are attractive, since that's exactly what you'll be doing when you are avoiding attention from these dudes. By no means does this mean writing reminders on your hands or making eye contact while you tie your hair back is going to do much other than confuse people, but at least you can safely indulge in a plate of messy chicken wings on a first date without any worries.

As men, I have no doubt that we do plenty of things that wind women up/make them cringe. While we may think that being a macho-man and an alpha male is the key to every woman's heart, this couldn't be further from the truth. Although there is no set in stone way to attract every woman that walks the earth, there are a host of things that men could NOT do in order to make themselves a little bit more appealing. Thankfully for us the women of Reddit has come together to reveal 14 things that guys think are attractive when they're really not.

1. I ain't sayin she a gold digger

Flaunting your money. Even as an 18-year-old, I always found it off-putting. You have money? Great. You don't have to remind me every five minutes.

2. The scent of love

Too much cologne.

3. Honesty is the best policy 

Lying about yourself to impress me. it sounds obvious like that, but you don't know how many guys I talked to who lied to me about their job and sexual life and claimed it was to impress me when I discovered it and said I'm done.

4. Manners go a long way

If a guy is ever rude or condescending to customer service on my behalf or trying to impress me, I’m gone.

5. Act your age, not your shoe size

Talking like a baby. More men have tried it than I care to think about.

6. Violence doesn't solve anything 

Picking fights with other guys for stupid reasons. You don't look tough or manly to me, you look immature and dumb.

7. It's not as pretty as you think

d*ck pics.

8. Give them some space

The "I'll treat you like a princess" routine. I don't like being smothered and it seems like they only do it because they think it'll make girls like them.

9. This isn't Need For Speed

Revving your car or motorcycle for attention. It's not hot, it's obnoxious.

10. Embrace your inner Bruce Willis

Toupees, hairpieces, hairplugs, combovers, etc. Bald is sexy. If you’re thinning, just clip or shave or let it go. We can tell when you’re faking it, usually because you’re nervous about it. There are many of us who find bald attractive.

11. Treat women equally

When they treat women like we can't accomplish simple tasks. Especially when men say "No,women shouldn't do this."

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12. You're not in 1950's New York

Fedora.

13. Not big, not clever

Using his "strength" to pick me up without my consent. We don't even know each other that well!

14. Yeah, it's never going to work

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Catcalling. Women aren't flattered.

So there you have it, gents: 14 things that you 100% should not be doing if you're trying to woo a girl. It's not that hard is it, just don't be a d**k basically.

Throughout history, society's idea of the ideal man has remained relatively consistent. The ancient Greeks and Romans built statues of huge, burly dudes with bulging biceps; kings across the ages were expected to be athletic and battle-hardened; and even today people speak of finding their knight in shining armour. However, recent trends have suggested that the desire for muscular men might be going out of fashion, and that the sporty hunk may be replaced by the dorky chunk when it comes to women picking an ideal life partner. Now, this may sound like a rumour started by men who would rather stay in and watch Netflix than go to the gym, but it's absolutely true - and we've even got the science to back it up. Earlier this year, Planet Fitness conducted an anonymous online study of over 2,000 American men and women in order to find out what was considered the most attractive body type. Surprisingly, the survey showed that seven out of 10 women were actually more attracted to guys who were carrying up to 20 pounds of extra weight. According to a 2015 article in the Washington Post, around 37 per cent of American men between the ages of 20 and 54 match this physical description - so there should be plenty of dad bod to go around. The survey also found that 78 per cent of women believed tubbier men were more confident in their own skin, and more than four out of five moms would be proud to be married to someone who cut a more fatherly figure. But the attraction does not seem to be merely aesthetic; some research has shown that there may be a biological reason why heterosexual women are more drawn to guys who have got a little more going on around the middle. An anthropology professor at Yale University, Richard Bribiescas, has found that chubbier men might actually be healthier than gym-bro types. This is because weight gain is caused by decreasing levels of testosterone, which in turn leads to a stronger immune system, and means that tubbier fellas tend to have longer life spans. “This change in body composition not only causes men to shop for more comfortable trousers but also facilitates increased survivorship and, hypothetically, a hormonal milieu that would more effectively promote and support paternal investment,” Bribiescas explains. Basically, chunky lads make better dads. This probably explains why younger women will go for men with more chiselled physiques, but those looking to settle down in a relationship are less concerned with their partner's athleticism. But before you go devouring all that Halloween candy you've got lying around, remember that it's still possible to have too much of a dad bod, and unhealthy dietary habits could lead to problems in the future. Regular exercise is still essential to maintaining a sustainable lifestyle, but it doesn't have to be all bench presses and pull-ups - the occasional jog will do just as well. Essentially, as long as you keep everything in moderation, you can enjoy a healthy dad bod - plus all the ladies it apparently attracts.

Unfortunately, the amount of Tinder disaster stories involving serial messaging pests and certain unwanted photos have smeared the reputation of men. But you can't assume that all men are shallow and that they're all just after "one thing". Most of them are pursuing relationships with women for reasons that aren't just driven by hormones and egos. Just like us, they want to find comfort in a relationship, and ideally develop a strong and passionate bond with a woman in a way they never can with their mates. Yes, I hear you sniggering "and also boobs" under your breath, but that's not what I mean. Sure, it's a man's basic instinct to feel physically attracted to a curvaceous woman (wider hips = better reproductive capability), for example, but men really aren't so primal anymore. People come in all shapes and sizes, and everyone has different interests and preferences. Still, there are certain personality traits that men generally find attractive in women, and they might surprise you. We've scoured the internet and compiled a list of the top 10 characteristics and attributes in women that men find irresistible, so here they are:

1. Not wearing too much makeup

Apparently, guys much prefer a more natural look than a full-on face of makeup. It shows you're secure in your own skin, and that you're down-to-earth rather than high maintenance. Sure, put in an effort for nights out with your girlfriends or a fancy dinner if you want to, but he's probably not going to love you taking a full 2 hours every single day to contour and blend your face into something unrecognizable. In fact, it's probably quite scary to realize the girl you're with looks completely different without makeup. Better keep things simple.

2. Exuding real confidence

It kind of relates to the first point, that guys love a girl who knows herself, accepts herself and makes decisions for her own happiness, rather than anyone else's. This doesn't mean being rude to others, and shouldn't teeter on the verge of being egotistic or narcissistic. It just means she values herself and isn't someone who is needy, insecure and constantly seeking reassurance – probably from men. Being strong, secure, decisive and driven is super sexy to men. And it's certainly a turn-on in the bedroom.

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3. Intelligence

This is surprising to some people who think guys love a ditzy, "dumb blonde" stereotype. So stop the charade if you think your intelligence "threatens" some men, and quit playing dumb. And it's not like you need to be able to namedrop philosophers or have a frighteningly high IQ – it's more just street smarts, the ability to read sarcasm, wisdom and maybe some kind of worldly knowledge that men find attractive.

4. Kindness

I hereby propose – shock! horror! – NOT to "Treat him mean, keep him keen". Being kind does not mean letting yourself be walked on or being taken for granted. It's more that you exercise empathy and agreeableness. It comes from our primal instinct that women are nurturers, needing to create and maintain social alliances for the safety of our little cavemen children. Things are different now, but it's still true that men prefer a nice girl who genuinely cares. Especially as relationships get more mature.

5. Letting him be your knight in shining armor

As much as he likes to nestle in the comfort of your kindness, he also wants to show his masculinity at times. Although you're probably an independent, down to earth, practical woman who can do things on her own, it is nice to feel looked after too. And men relish in that feeling of helping out a damsel in distress. Let him open doors for you, stand idly by as he fixes your bicycle, and thank him when he escorts unwanted houseguests from your place.

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6. Being open-minded

Sure there are probably some kind of dealbreakers for you – maybe regarding politics, maybe regarding cilantro – and you have every right to them. But be careful about judging too hard or assuming things that you don't really know about. Men find it more attractive if you're curious, playful, and willing to see things from other perspectives. Better yet, they love an adventurous girl, someone who likes meeting new people every now and then and who is curious about the world.

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7. Being opinionated

Okay, this might sound a little contradictory coming straight after being open-minded, but hear me out. While it's good (for anyone) to be nice, non-judgemental and accepting, it's important to also have your own opinions and your own direction in which you want to go in life. This means you might be burning with intensity about certain ideas, hobbies and causes. Undiluted honesty means you're saying how you feel and sharing your own unique outlook on life. You'll have more interesting conversations, and a deeper and more passionate understanding of each other this way.

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8. Being a bit of a clown

Humour is a trait that everyone finds attractive. And for guys, they're going to have a much better time hanging out with a girl who sees the funny side of things rather than someone who is overly complicated and dramatic. It's tiring work to hang around with someone constantly worrying about what they're saying and how they look. It's so much more fun to hang out with someone who can laugh at themselves, who can admit to being imperfect, and who doesn't get offended at the tiniest thing.

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9. A genuine smile

Yes, sometimes it's as simple as that. Happiness is a totally underrated trait, but a person who is cheerful, positive and light-hearted about things is a person you don't want to let out of your company anytime soon. Men love someone who appreciates things as she's more likely to be affectionate, laugh at other people's jokes (and actually genuinely) and they'll find it adorable if you are impressed by even the small things in life. And smiles are contageous.

10. Uniqueness

There's a reason some people decide they want to keep seeing you rather than the average person, and that's exactly it – you're more than just "the average person" to them. Men like someone who doesn't just follow the crowd and blend in to be like everyone else. A bit of creativity, individuality, and your differences to others is really what shows people that you're daring, that you can do things differently and that no-one else is like you.

The last trait may point to a fundamental problem of this list. Of course you can't be someone you're not, and of course, everyone has different ideas about what is an attractive quality and what isn't. But this list is something that rings true for many relationship scenarios, because these traits are as much about self-care and personal empowerment as they are about "being attractive" to the opposite sex. As Lucille Ball famously quoted: "Love yourself first and everything else falls into line."

Ever since we were wee little cavemen, sex has always been on our minds. Reproduction was a necessity for our race's survival, and it all began when a caveman and a cavewoman felt some kind of attraction for one another. Fast-forward to the 21st century, and it's more or less the same. Yes, we've got other priorities in our lives now, but this primal instinct of attraction is still there. So when you ask "what physical features do men find most attractive in women?", most people will just say "big boobs" and turn to their friends, sniggering. And while eye-tracking studies in the past have proved that men who look at images of women check out their breasts and waists first, there's actually a lot more to it. It turns out there are a lot of other things that men find desirable in the opposite sex. Drawing on a range of studies, Business Insider compiled a list of the most fetching feminine traits together with Dr Midge Wilson, Professor of Psychology and Women's and Gender Studies at DePaul University. They called it a "reproductive fitness assessment", describing the process in which a man "checks out" a woman for mating potential. We've also added some findings from other studies, too. So let's get into it.

1. The right waist-to-hip ratio

If a woman has wide hips, a man's primal instincts are kicked into gear and he sees that she's fit for childbirth. Researchers found that a ratio of 7:10 is particularly favourable, meaning (as we already know) that men like a small waist with wide child-bearing hips (and probably a booty worthy of the peach emoji to top it off).

2. A high-pitched voice

Having a high-pitched voice signals a smaller, feminine body, as well as youth. Women are most fertile when they're younger – the ages between 20 and 31 are said to be the sage of peak fertility. So don't hold back on those excitable squeals next time someone brings a dog into the office.

3. Healthy hair

Another study found that long, full, shiny hair is extremely attractive. Women with wiry grey hair, for example, are less desirable because they don't look as youthful and therefore fertile as you do with your luscious locks (you don't have to reveal that it's all thanks to your leave-in conditioner and your girl Lisa at the salon who is a DREAM).

4. Less makeup 

As much as contouring and a perfectly blended eyeshadow look can totally boost your selfie game, it turns out that a full face of makeup won't help you court a man. The report states that men prefer women who use up to 40 per cent fewer cosmetics.

5. A smile

Naturally, we all prefer to surround ourselves with more positive, happy people. Additionally, the research found that the whiter the teeth on a woman, the better.

6. Wearing red

There are many studies pointing out that wearing red stimulates the senses and enhances attraction. Not only that, but one study found that the colour red can act as a powerful aphrodisiac.

7. Arm length

While – yes – a tall, leggy woman is going to attract admirers, people don't realise that long arms are also a feature that men subtly seek out. Researchers found that men prefer women with longer, more slender arms that had wide girth – probably for hugging and being able to reach the top of cupboards and what not.

8. Overall grooming

A person wearing clean clothes, looking generally groomed and exhibiting good posture has been proved to be another important trait of attraction. It shows that you'll be a good reproductive partner because you're healthy, strong, and ultimately able to look after yourself.

Although we're no longer the grunting, club-swinging primates we once were, some things do tend to stick. Next time you've got a date coming up, why not bring out that red dress of yours and show off your arm length as innocuously as you can, of course.