Why asking one more follow-up question converts dating failures into second dates—and what the science of conversation reveals about trust, listening, and connection. Harvard professor Alison Wood Brooks breaks down the research proving that being interested beats being interesting, and shares why admitting uncertainty builds stronger relationships than pretending to have all the answers. People who ask follow-up questions on first dates are significantly more likely to secure second dates; asking just one additional question per date can convert one extra date into a second date.