It’s always been a mystery, hasn’t it, as to why attractive women marry less attractive men. Think, for instance, of the beautiful Anja Tilling and the toadish and stomach wrenching Chris Tilling. Why did she marry HIM???? Live Science has the answer.

The reason, researchers suspect, is that men place great value on beauty, whereas women are more interested in having a supportive husband. Researchers admit that looks are subjective, but studies show there are some universal standards, including large eyes, “baby face” features, symmetric faces, so-called average faces, and specific waist-hip ratios in men versus women. Past research has shown that individuals with comparable stunning looks are attracted to each other and once they hook up they report greater relationship satisfaction. These studies, however, are mainly based on new couples, showing that absolute beauty is important in the earliest stages of couple-hood, said lead researcher James McNulty of the University of Tennessee. But the role of physical attractiveness in well-established partnerships, such as marriage, is somewhat of a mystery.

Or, to put it more plainly, women are better human beings than men.

So, next time you see some gorgeous woman with some foul looking beast of a man- you’ll know why.