Are women stronger than men? Here are 8 scientific facts to put this debate to rest

We live in a world that hails superheroes like Super Man, Bat Man, Spider-Man, and worst—Mohobbat Man (Come on SRK fans, you know what I am talking about!). And so, often we end up taking women and their strength for granted.

Blame it on the sexism that is deeply rooted in our culture or simply the patriarchal mindset that thrives on making women take the backseat–we are often perceived as the “weaker sex”.

But you know what? That’s a completely false perception, which we shall clear right here, right now. Because, contrary to popular belief, women are stronger than men. Oh, and we’re not orchestrating this. There’s enough scientific proof to back this fact. Read them yourselves:

1. We are the life-expectancy champions
As per the data maintained by the global Gerontology Research Group, out of the 43 people in the world who’ve made it past the age of 110 years, 42 are women.

Philosophically speaking, the blessings we seek for our efforts and sincerity as a mother, a wife, a homemaker, a breadwinner, and what not—may have a part to play in our longevity.

But, scientifically speaking, women tend to live longer than men due to a “complex interaction of biological, environmental and social factors” as per a study published in the journal Proceedings of National Academy of the United States of America.

2. Our survival skills are just as kickass as our management skills
The same study also highlights the fact that women are more likely to survive tougher conditions such as famines, extreme climatic changes, and disease epidemics as compared to men—and have a stronger immunity too.

Even though a clear reason is yet to be found for our exceptional endurance, researchers attribute it to the possibility of a mother’s placenta working harder to maintain the pregnancy and avoid infections in the case of a female foetus. Hence, women get that extra dose of survivability in our mother’s womb itself, you see.

3. We can handle pain better
Just like most things in life, we can also handle pain better than men because according to a study conducted at the McGill University, women have a higher threshold for pain.

That’s probably why God deemed us as a better fit for producing offsprings and handling period, waxing, and threading pain.

4. We are also emotionally stronger
A study published in the journal Emotion says that women are better at identifying their negative emotions such as sadness and disgust—thanks to them being responsible for reproduction. Thus, they are more sensitive to environmental chemicals, which perhaps, men tend to take lightly due to their so-called “masculinity”.

Another study conducted in 2015 found that women were also better at managing their emotions and were less likely to cry after watching a sob story.

That’s not it. Even when it comes to nursing a heartbreak, we’re better than men. As per a study conducted at the Binghamton University in New York and University College London, in case of a break-up, women may feel the hurt deeper as compared to men. However, they tend to heal faster while men simply move on and never really mend.

5. And yes, we are mentally stronger too
According to a study conducted by the researchers from the Ben Gurion University of the Negev, the University of St.Gallen, and NYU Shanghai–women tend to cope with pressure better than men, who tend to buckle during tense moments. This is due to the fact that cortisol, the stress hormone, tends to increase more rapidly in men than in women.

6. Needless to say, we’re the more intelligent sex
Men might have been proven to have a higher brain volume, however, women still manage to beat them when it comes to those I.Q. tests–and there’s a solid scientific reason for it cited by a study conducted at the University of Edinburgh. Women have thicker cortices, the area of the brain that is linked to improved performance on intelligence tests.

In fact, our cognitive skills are sharper as well. According to a study conducted at the Washington University School of Medicine, we can maintain our cognitive skills and have better memory as men’s brains tend to diminish faster with age as compared to that of women.

7. We know when to seek help and have no qualms about it
Men can act macho, but we all know how they freak out at the mention of the ‘D’ word. Doctor, you dirty mind!

According to a British research, women are better at reporting and explaining their symptoms to a doctor and seeking timely medical help in case of a health issue in comparison to men, who might get freaked out by the mere thought of getting an injection or simply visiting a doctor.

8. We’ve got stronger legs too
As per a study published in the journal The Royal Society Publishing, a unit of a fit woman’s muscles can produce the same force as that of a similarly fit man. So, women just have a lower muscle mass, not muscle strength, got it?

Considering the fact that we tend to have a heavier lower body, the study also points out that women’s legs may be stronger than that of men. So, unless you want to witness that strength in the form of kick on your rear, stop underestimating the women in life.