Stripping for science.

Estrus in female humans is, mercifully, not quite as pronounced as in other mammals. But analysis of lap dancers' daily tips shows it still can be perceived, on some level, by the opposite sex. Eighteen "professional lap dancers" recorded details about their tip earnings and menstrual cycles over 60 days. According to a report in Evolution and Human Behavior, participants who were not taking oral contraceptives earned about $335 per 5-hour shift during estrus, compared with $260 in the luteal phase and $185 during menstruation, suggesting men were unconsciously attuned to the dancers' fertility (Evol. Hum. Behav. 2007;28:375-81, in case you were wondering). Birth control pill users showed no peaks in earnings and earned less overall. "Because academics may be unfamiliar with the gentlemen's club subculture, some background may be helpful," the researchers wrote. "The clubs serve alcohol; they are fairly dark, smoky, and loud (with a DJ playing rock, rap, or pop music).... Dancers typically wear very little perfume, but they often have breast implants, dye their hair, trim their pubic hair, shave their legs and underarms, and adopt a 'stage name' different from their real first name." Um, thanks for the clarification, but there are plenty of medical conferences in Vegas, if you get our drift. The researchers also felt it important to offer the study subjects some advice: "It seems that the optimal strategy for obtaining tips is to focus on men who are profligate, drunk, and gullible rather than those who are intelligent, handsome, and discerning." Lacking knowledge of the three male researchers' conduct at such establishments (and of their looks), we can't know the ulterior motives of such a recommendation. But we can guess.