There’s a common belief that beauty is an ephemeral quality—something ethereal and culturally determined, existing only as a fleeting idea that changes with every generation.
We’ve all seen the shifting ideals of beauty celebrated in popular culture, from curvy supermodels in the 90s to the leaner figures that dominate social media today.
But what if I told you that beauty, in its essence, might not be quite as arbitrary as we like to think?
In fact, evolutionary biology may offer more insight into the science of attractiveness than any magazine or Instagram influencer.
Real beauty, it turns out, may be a mix of genetic predisposition, evolutionary pressures, and perhaps even unexpected diversity.
To help illustrate this, let’s look at a groundbreaking experiment that challenges much of what we’ve been taught about body ideals.
Researchers at BodyLab, a digital ecosystem designed to study human attractiveness, have found something striking: our standards of beauty may be less about following one “perfect” body shape, and more about an evolving balance of physical traits that vary from person to person.
But what does that really mean for the way we perceive ourselves and others in our world today? Let’s dive in.
The Myth of the Perfect Body Shape: Rethinking the Waist-to-Hip Ratio
For decades, the body ideal that has dominated Western beauty standards has been rooted in the so-called waist-to-hip ratio (WHR).
The most popular version of this theory, based on research from evolutionary biologist Devendra Singh, posits that women with a 0.7:1 waist-to-hip ratio are the most attractive, as this shape reflects optimal fertility and health.
Singh’s experiments found that women with a waist roughly 70% of their hip circumference were more likely to be deemed attractive across cultures.
His research also indicated that beauty pageant winners like Miss America and Playboy playmates consistently adhered to this ratio, regardless of changing trends in body size or shape.
Sounds like a pretty solid rule, doesn’t it?
In fact, it became a staple in Cosmopolitan-type magazines as a fun fact to share at dinner parties, to remind women of their supposed “ideal” body shape.
But this seemingly neat formula leaves a lot to be desired when we examine it more closely.
Enter the BodyLab: Evolutionary Forces at Play
In recent years, scientists have begun questioning whether beauty can truly be reduced to a single ratio. BodyLab, a unique experimental project, aims to answer this question by applying evolutionary principles to the study of human attractiveness.
The researchers at BodyLab don’t just measure physical traits—they create “digital bodies” that evolve over multiple generations, helping them to better understand how our ideas about beauty may change over time.
Starting with a sample of 20 women, the BodyLab team added random “mutations” to each body shape.
These mutations were then rated for attractiveness by thousands of participants from around the world.
After every round of ratings, the most popular body types were “bred” together to produce new generations of models, evolving over several cycles.
What did they discover?
The average body shape actually became more slender with each new generation.
Waist sizes, bust sizes, and even the overall girth of arms and legs decreased, while leg lengths increased
It was a clear indication that, at least in this digital ecosystem, there was a strong preference for slender bodies with long limbs.
But here’s where things get fascinating: despite this trend toward thinner bodies, the evolutionary pressures weren’t as rigid as we might think.
The most attractive digital bodies weren’t all the same. In fact, when examining the “families” of bodies that lasted the longest in the ecosystem, researchers found that bodies evolved to be more shapely and curvaceous over time, even though they began slender.
The Role of Genetic Variation in Attractiveness
This finding challenges the very notion that there is only one “correct” body type.
In fact, the variety of body types that can evolve to be attractive in this study suggests that beauty is far more diverse than popular culture often portrays.
Some individuals prefer more voluptuous shapes, while others gravitate toward slender, angular forms.
The BodyLab results indicate that the pursuit of an “ideal body” is more of an evolving spectrum than a fixed standard.
Bodies with a variety of shapes and features can evolve to be equally attractive, depending on the context.
Attractiveness, it seems, is not a one-size-fits-all equation.
This isn’t to say that all body shapes are universally regarded as equally attractive. In fact, there are still common preferences—such as longer limbs or a smaller waist—that tend to dominate.
But the range of body types considered attractive is far broader than we may have been led to believe.
Challenging the Cultural Construction of Beauty
Now, this isn’t to say that culture doesn’t play a role in shaping our perceptions of beauty.
After all, BodyLab’s digital models were still rated according to cultural preferences—preferences that are undoubtedly shaped by media, fashion, and societal standards.
Many will argue that body ideals are purely cultural constructions, and that the diet industry and mainstream media deliberately create unattainable beauty standards for profit.
While there’s certainly some truth to this—media portrayals often enforce narrow beauty ideals—the BodyLab study provides an intriguing twist.
The preferences for slender bodies, longer legs, and smaller waists were not just the result of culture.
They were also influenced by evolutionary preferences that seem to persist across time and geography.
In fact, the similarities in body preferences across cultures are stronger than you might think.
The BodyLab study, in fact, revealed that both male and female raters across various cultures had surprisingly similar tastes when it came to body attractiveness.
Over 60,000 people participated in the study, rating the digital bodies.
The results?
There were significant commonalities in what people found attractive, suggesting that some aspects of beauty may be deeply rooted in human nature rather than merely learned from society.
That said, the cultural argument still holds weight, particularly when we examine the influence of the media on beauty ideals.
Our ideas about beauty are often shaped by societal norms—what’s considered attractive changes from generation to generation and place to place.
But these changes are sometimes more subtle and complex than we think.
What Does This Mean for Real-World Beauty Standards?
So, what does all this mean for how we think about beauty in the real world?
First, it’s important to recognize that beauty standards are not static.
Body types, facial features, and even personalities that we consider attractive can evolve over time—sometimes with surprising speed.
What’s deemed “beautiful” today might not be seen the same way in the future.
Second, this research challenges us to think beyond the traditional, narrow definitions of beauty we’ve been fed.
There’s not just one “right” way to be beautiful, and that’s a powerful and liberating idea.
You don’t need to adhere to a certain waist-to-hip ratio or possess perfect symmetry to be considered attractive.
Diversity in body shapes is not only natural but also deeply ingrained in human preferences.
Lastly, this research reminds us that beauty isn’t just about how we look—it’s about how we feel about ourselves and how others perceive us.
As we embrace body diversity and question the societal pressures that shape our ideals, we may begin to redefine what beauty truly means in a more inclusive and holistic way.
Conclusion: Beauty in Evolution
The journey to understanding beauty is not about finding the perfect body shape, but about embracing the diversity of human experience.
Whether we’re drawn to curvaceous figures or leaner bodies, whether we prefer long legs or hourglass silhouettes, there’s no singular formula for what makes someone attractive.
The findings from BodyLab suggest that beauty is a dynamic, evolving concept—shaped by both evolutionary forces and cultural trends.
As we continue to explore the intersection of biology, culture, and beauty, we can better appreciate the incredible variation that exists among us.
After all, true beauty might not be found in the perfection of any one body, but in the celebration of all the unique ways in which we exist and connect with one another.
