http://www.earthsky.com/shows/shows.php?t=20040914
Pheromones
When you hear the word "pheromone," you might think of sexual attraction. Scientific studies have proven that connection for some animals and insects. But the verdict isn't in for humans. More -- after this on Earth and Sky.
Tuesday, September 14, 2004
JB: This is Earth and Sky. On the Internet, you can find "pheromone" perfumes that claim to make you irresistibly attractive to the opposite sex.
DB: But that's just wishful thinking, according to George Preti at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia. Dr. Preti has studied human pheromones since the 1970s. He says our bodies do produce pheromones. And, he says, some animals and insects -- for example, pigs and moths -- are known to produce pheromones for sexual attraction. But, in decades of research, no reputable study has identified pheromones in our bodies that act as human sexual attractants.
JB: Pheromones are chemicals secreted by one animal that cause another animal of the same species to react in a specific way. Pig pheromones create a response in other pigs -- but not in humans. Studies have shown that people produce pheromones, too. For example, it's known that women emit pheromones that appear to regulate the length and timing of other women's menstrual cycles. And research suggests that we can recognize certain people -- such as our children or spouses -- by their individual scents.
DB: We each have our own unique bouquet of odors determined by our genes. Scientists call this our "odorprint." Thanks today to the the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, a private foundation dedicated to advancing research and education in the chemical sciences. We're Block and Byrd for Earth and Sky.