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St. Paul, Minn.

The Really Big Questions: What is This Thing Called Love?

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Rational valentine
Courtesy of The Really Big Questions

Romantic love was invented by troubadors during the Middle Ages. You might have heard that before. Until recently, that view was widely held by anthropologists, sociologists and historians: Love is a Western cultural construct.

Now, most researchers believe love is a cultural universal.

Literature, music, and artifacts from everywhere and every time show humans falling in love. But why do we fall in love? Why does love cause us transcendent joy? Why is it devastating when our relationships fall apart?

MORE from The Really Big Questions:

• Find Rational Valentines to send to your sweetie.
• READ: Researchers discover romantic love
• READ: Dear younger me