They say friends are forever, but as it turns out, that old adage¹ is actually not quite true.

人们都说“友谊地久天长”，科学家却证明，这条老格言未必十分可信。

More than two thirds of Americans say they have lost at least 90 per cent of the friends they had 10 years ago.

美国科学家调查发现，超过2/3的美国人称，他们在过去的十年中已经和超过90%的朋友失去了联系。

However, according to a new survey of 1,000 people across the country, BFFs may be more true to their name as 55 per cent of people say they have kept the same best friend over the last decade.

不过，一项针对美国全境1000多人的新研究则提出了相反的结论，真正的挚友或许更加名副其实，有超过55%的受调查者称，自己在过去的十年中一直和自己的挚友保持着联系。

The poll also shows that you lose more friends when entering into a romantic relationship than when leaving one.

研究还证明，恋爱也会让友谊的小船翻船，与恋人分手会让你失去一些朋友，但开始新的恋情则会让你失去更多的朋友。

In fact, entering a relationship is the third biggest cause of losing friends – the top two being moving away to a new city and simply drifting² apart. Thirty per cent of respondents admit they have lost friends in a break-up.

事实上，开始新的恋情是导致人们与朋友失联的第三大原因——头两大原因分别是搬家到新城市，以及关系逐渐淡化。另外还有30%的参与调查者称他们曾因为分手而失去朋友。

Americans estimate³ that they have an average of four close friends. Sadly, eight per cent say that they have no close friends at all.

据估算，每个美国人平均拥有四个亲密朋友。可悲的事，8%的人称他们根本没有交心的朋友。

But, surprisingly, people age 55 and up are nearly twice as likely to have over 15 close friends than those between the ages of 18 and 24.

不过，令人惊讶的是，55岁以上的人拥有15个以上亲密朋友的概率是18-24岁人群的两倍。