A new study may explain why people in love often resemble each other in appearance and behavior. It may also be why couples in my high school chose to wear matching sweaters when they were "going steady." An Italian scientist, Donatella Marazziti, recently theorized in New Scientist magazine that when couples fall in love their individual testosterone levels alter. The levels fall in men and rise in women. As a result, they become more like each other. "It’s as if nature wants to eliminate what can be different in men and women, because it’s important to survive at this stage," noted Marazziti, who does her work at the University of Pisa. However, after two years and the couples in her study were no longer madly in love, the testosterone levels were back to normal. The study may solve many puzzles about early love. For example, we can understand why the burliest guy in the world is humming tunes to love ballads. At the same time, the woman in his life is beginning to show a genuine interest in televised sports. It could be the reason why he tries writing love poetry. His words may not sound as romantic as, "How do I love thee? Let me count the ways," but his version of "Roses are red, violets are blue," may cause her to laugh and punch him in the arm. He may consider giving up watching games on TV with his guy friends at the same time she seems particularly happy spending time with those same friends. All at once, dancing will seem like a very natural activity for him, and she will mention how she would like "to rough it" and go fishing with him for the first time. While he actually cares about which song will become known forever as "their song," she is feverishly memorizing the names of every team in professional basketball, baseball, football and hockey. At the same time he wishes he could cook a special meal for her — a meal perhaps with pasta, glasses of wine and soft music — she wants to be around him when he works on his car. "I love the smell of your garage," she coos. While sharing walks with the woman he loves, he suddenly becomes aware of colorful sunsets, flower gardens, and a cobalt blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds that resemble baby ducks and soft baby rabbits. At the mention of the word "rabbits," she reminds him that she would like to go hunting for the first time and "bag a few." The small gifts he chooses for her are exceedingly romantic — a single rose, a book of poetry, scented soaps. However, when he offers her a glass for her soda, she responds, "Nah, I’ll just drink it straight from the can." He takes notes on how to dress from his now favorite TV show, "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," and he thinks the Fab Four really seem to make sense. Meanwhile, she asks if she may have his old, cast-off shirts because "they’re so comfy." He wishes he could help out in the kitchen. She wishes she could go tent camping in some remote, primitive location. The more dangerous, the better. At first, he pretends to like chick flicks, but after sitting through a few, he sheds real tears when the guy on the movie screen finally gets the girl while beautiful, heart-wrenching music swells to a dramatic crescendo in the background. The Italian study may also explain why the relationships get back to normal after a year or two.