Opposites don’t attract: couples more likely to be similar than different, study shows

Scientists find that most partners have shared traits including political views, education levels and drinking habits

The power of animal magnetism has brought countless couples together, but when it comes to who we fall for, scientists say there's little truth in the old adage that opposites attract.

A study on romantic relationships found that for more than 80% of traits analysed - from political views to drug taking and the age at which people first had sex - partners were often remarkably similar.