Say What?! 5 Mind-Blowing Sex Facts We Bet You Never Knew

Let us whisper in your ear.

By Melissa Noble — Written on Sep 20, 2021

Photo: Africa Studio / Shutterstock

For your enjoyment, we've gathered a slew of bite-sized sex facts gleaned from the mother of all sex surveys, The National Survey of Sexual Health and Behavior accumulated by researchers at The Center for Sexual Health Promotion at Indiana University.

The scientists asked 5,865 people aged 14-94 a variety of questions covering everything from masturbation to condoms and homosexual experimentation.

Meh! The results were mostly predictable, but there were a few surprising curve balls that caused our eyebrows to raise.

1. Same-sex hook-ups are more common than you think among heterosexuals

It's not just drunk college girls having some same-sex fun: Though just 6 percent of male survey respondents identified themselves as gay ... 12 percent claim to have received oral sex from a man, 11 percent performed oral sex on a man, and 8 percent had anal sex with a male partner.

In the same vein, a good 15-16 percent of women experimented with another female though only 1 percent consider themselves lesbians.

While we're on the subject of homosexual experimentation, same-gender sex peaks for women in the 20-24 age group and then tapers off, meanwhile, same-sex activity for men begins to gain steam in the 16-18 year range and stays consistent up until middle-age.

2. White boys are more likely to not use a condom

According to the NSSHB's study findings, only 1 of 4 acts of vaginal intercourse are condom protected. However, the survey also revealed that more blacks and Hispanics are consistent condom users in comparison with whites.

Overall condom usage declines with age — perhaps due to monogamy and marriage — but mercifully, the study revealed that those in a casual sexual relationship are twice as likely to use condoms than those in relationships.

3. Adults are most likely to mix alcohol and sex

Say what you will about these crazy kids today, but researchers found that men and women aged 50-59 were the age group more likely to report drinking alcohol or smoking marijuana before their last sexual encounter.

Could this be the second wave of craziness once the nest is empty?

4. Men still aren't satisfying women

This one was no shocker but is always disheartening to see, 85 percent of all men polled said they had an orgasm during their last sexual encounter. In contrast, only 64 percent of women could say the same. (Of course, 85 percent of all men polled believed their partner had in fact climaxed.)

Also not surprising, women are more likely to climax if there's a mixture of oral and vaginal sex. Men, on the flip side, only need vaginal sex in order to reach the big O.

5. Old folks are still masturbating

Across the age groups, men top women in reporting having masturbated alone within the past year. Ages 25-29 are seemingly the most active participants in solo masturbation period for, both, men and women; with 84 and 72 percent reporting having done so.