Cheer up hopeless romantics – science appears to be on your side.
绝望的浪漫派这下可以欢呼雀跃了——科学貌似站在了你们这边。
According to new research, it is actually possible to fall in love with another person at first sight.
据最新研究发现，对一个人一见钟情确有可能发生。
The annual Singles in America survey, which is sponsored by the dating site Match.com, found that in 2014, 59 percent of men and 49 percent of women said they believe in love at first sight, and 41 percent of men and 29 percent of women say they have experienced it. The survey included more than 5,000 singles ages 21 to 70-plus.
一年一度由美国婚恋网站Match.com赞助支持的“单身在美国”调查显示，2004年，59%的男性和49%的女性声称他们相信一见钟情，并且41%的男性和29%的女性表示他们本身就经历过一见钟情。此项调查计入了5000名单身男女，年龄从21到70多不等。

These numbers are not surprising. As a recent article in The Wall Street Journal notes: “Scientists say we are genetically wired for the possibility of love at first sight, but why it happens to some people and not others is largely a matter of timing and self-*assurance.”
这些数字并不让人意外。《华尔街日报》近期的一篇文章就指出：“科学家认为基因决定了我们产生一见钟情的可能性，至于为什么有的人有此种经历而其他人没有，很大程度上是由于时间问题和自我认可程度。”
Numerous psychological studies have also found men fall in love faster than women, says Helen Fisher, a human behavior researcher and a professor at the US’ Rutgers University with a focus on romantic *interpersonal attraction. Fisher is Match.com’s chief scientific adviser and spearheaded the study.
人类行为研究员、美国罗格斯大学教授海伦•费希尔专注于研究人际吸引中的浪漫因素。她表示，大量的心理研究也表明，男性会比女性更快地陷入爱河。费希尔是Match.com的首席科学顾问，主导了此次研究。
“Men are so visual. They see a woman who appeals to them physically, and it will *trigger the romantic love system faster,” she says. “Women are more careful romantically.”
她认为：“男性真是视觉动物。他们只会看到那些外表对他们产生吸引的女性，这就会更加迅速地激发男人的浪漫爱情系统。女性则多是谨慎的浪漫。”
Three connected systems
三个相关联的系统
Experts say romantic love is one of three systems – along with the sex drive and feelings of deep attachment – that humans developed for mating. Romantic love’s intense desire for connection with the other person typically lasts 18 months to three years.
专家认为浪漫的爱情是人类因交配需要而产生的三大系统之一——另外两个分别是性冲动和深度情感依恋。
According to Fisher, the sex drive in both men and women is fueled by *testosterone. In contrast, romantic love is emotional obsession. The two are meant to go together, but it is possible to have one without the other.
费希尔认为，男女的性冲动皆由睾丸素控制。相反，浪漫的爱情则是一种对情感的依恋。这两样一般同时出现，但是也有可能只出现其一。
Fisher says that like the sex drive, romantic love can be triggered immediately, which may explain the quick and *unintentional experience of falling in love.
费希尔指出，浪漫的爱情与性冲动一样，会被瞬时点燃，这也可以解释人类为什么会迅速而毫无防备地恋爱。
Arthur Aron, research professor at Stony Brook University in New York and a visiting scholar at the University of California, Berkeley, who studies love, noted to The Wall Street Journal that there are three factors present when you fall in love: You have to like the other person’s physical appearance; you have to find his or her personality desirable, and you have to feel the other person likes you.
纽约州立大学石溪分校研究教授、加州伯克利大学访问学者亚瑟•艾伦的研究领域是爱情。他对《华尔街日报》表示，人们能否陷入爱情取决于三大要素：喜欢对方的样貌；满意他/她的性格；感觉到对方也喜欢自己。
These feelings can be triggered by a number of *stimuli. But as Aron noted: “You may be more likely to fall in love quickly if you are ready.” So don’t just *fantasize about falling in love at first sight. Go out, be yourself and love (first sight or not) will find you.
这些感觉可以由一系列刺激因素引发。但是正如艾伦所说“如果你自己准备好了，才更有可能去恋爱。”所以不要天天幻想着一见钟情了。走出门去，做你自己，爱情（一见钟情或日久生情）就会找上你。