Nestled in the vibrant streets of downtown Austin, the Museum of the Weird stands out like a sore thumb – if that thumb happened to belong to a mythical creature with a penchant for the paranormal.

Or why balding, bearded author Salman Rushdie - no Adonis in anyone's book - managed to beguile the stunning model Padma Lakshmi. Lead researcher Dr Rob Brooks said: 'Ugly individuals can ...