Also, high intelligence often goes hand-in-hand with high education. The fact that a man has been committed enough to earn a degree (or a few degrees) may indicate that he’d be committed in other aspects in life – career, love, family. At this stage in our evolution, we don’t need men to fight off warring tribes; we need them to be good at strategizing ways to thrive in a modern world.

Any way you look at it, intelligence is sexy. And what would a post on brainy boys be without a little razor sharp man candy? Here are three intellectually gifted guys who are also easy on the eyes:

Brain Cox, particle physicist 

Hello! A particle physicist? This guy looks like he should be in a band. To be fair, he was in a band while he was working on his first class BS and MPhil (masters) degrees at the University of Manchester. After his synthpop group dissolved, Brian Cox went on to complete his DPhil (Ph.D.) in high-energy particle physics. He now works on several ongoing international particle detector experiments, including the notable ATLAS experiment. He makes regular appearances on the BBC’s science programs, and in 2010, he presented a five-part television series entitled Wonders of the Solar System, followed up by Wonders of the Universe. In 2010, the Queen awarded him with an OBE for communicating the appeal of physics to the general public. Um… I was actually living in London at the time and I caught his show once or twice. And I must admit that it wasn't the appeal of physics that held my focus, if you know what I mean. 

Congressman Aaron Schock 

This guy is unstoppable. Only 31 years old, he’s the youngest serving US representative. Of course, this is no big surprise if you consider his childhood. In the 5th grade, he started working for a bookstore chain doing database management, taking on more jobs as he got older. At 14, he started an IRA and began investing in real estate and the stock market. At 19, he became the youngest person serving on a school board in Illinois. After completing a four-year degree in two years, he became the youngest member of the Illinois House of Representatives at 23. It’s enough to make my head spin. I wouldn't be surprised if Aaron Schock ends up becoming America’s youngest President. But then again, maybe not. There are heaps of shirtless pics of him up on the Internet, and the guy is insanely ripped. (Go on and Google him. I know you want to.) My point is: I’m not sure American voters will go for a prez who looks like he spends several hours a day doing bench presses. But 

you never know. 

Jack Dorsey, creator of Twitter 

Those eyes! In this picture and certain other ones, he looks eerily similar to the vision I had in mind of Derek Whitley, the fictional hero of Unmasking Maya. In other pictures, not so much, but still. It’s weird. And he and Derek have similar backgrounds and careers. At the age of 13, Jack Dorsey created open source software in the area of dispatch logistics, which is being used by many taxicab companies today. In 2000, he started a company based on a “ friction-less service market”. Don’t ask. I don’t know what that means. He’s the original creator of Twitter, which, of course, has succeeded in conquering the world. In 2008, he was named in the MIT Technology Review as one of the top 35 innovators in the world under the age of 35. These days he’s focused on his latest enterprise. Square Inc. manufactures a mobile credit card reader – essential for all independent business people. From December 2009 to June 2011, Square Inc. grew from 10 employees to over 100. What will he think of next? 

About the Author

Born and raised in the Midwest, Libby Mercer’s adventurous spirit kicked in after graduating from high school, and she’s since lived in Boston, NYC and London. San Francisco is the city she currently calls home. For several years, Libby worked in fashion – first as a journalist and then as a shopkeeper. She also dabbled in design for a while. Even through the crazy fashion years, Libby never let go of her dream of being a published author, and has since developed her signature writing style, crafting quirky chick lit/romance hybrids. Fashioning a Romance was her first published novel, and Unmasking Maya will be her second. Libby has a third novel, The Karmic Connection, scheduled for release in 2013.