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According to US experts, a shared interest in films - particularly horror - is a sure sign of compatibility amongst couples.
  • Mathematicians reveal what you should ask if looking for love
  • The Harvard experts are brains behind dating website OK Cupid
  • 'Have you ever travelled alone?' is another key question
  • Also reveal that men believe women who like beer are more likely to sleep with them on the first date
Many people wonder what the secret to long-lasting love is but hours of soul searching might be a waste of time if new research is to be believed.

Whilst mutual trust, loyalty and a shared love of Breaking Bad might spring to mind, Harvard mathematicians have revealed three rather more humble questions to determine whether a couple have real potential.

And wait for it...they are: 'Do you like horror movies?' 'Have you ever travelled around another country alone?' and 'Wouldn't it be fun to chuck it all and go live on a sailboat?'

The four experts who cam up with these questions are responsible for building dating website, OK Cupid, the fastest-growing dating website.

In an interview for the book The Art of Doing: How Superachievers Do What They Do and How They Do It So Well, the site's four founders offer insight into what they believe makes a relationship work.

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© Daily MailHappy couples can test their compatibility by asking just three quirky questions, say Harvard mathematicians.
And it seems they do have the knowledge because as Harvard mathematicians they are very keen on data and wanted to build a 'compatibility algorithm' site based on survey questions, according to website Barking Up The Wrong Tree.

And these three questions above all others seemed to determine if you and someone else have long-term potential.

According to the site, if you find someone that answers all three of the questions the same way you do, the two of you are a perfect match.

They also revealed the most successful online dating poses and what turns users off immediately.

Apparently, when it comes to messaging, reply rates plummet if there is bad spelling and bad grammar.

Interestingly, buzzwords such as 'awesome' and 'fascinating' prove much more popular than physical compliments like 'sexy' and 'beautiful.'

The best pose for men is 'mysterious and sexy,' looking off camera and not smiling, whereas women who hold the camera above their head and look coy and flirty receive more hits.

Women looking away from camera, as if they are flirting with someone else, get the least interest, say the experts.

And another question men should always ask? Whether his prospective date likes the taste of beer.

According to the mathematicians, if she says yes then she is 30% more likely to sleep with him on the first date than women who say no.