Thursday 25 February 2010

The pheromone myth: Sniffing out the truth - 24 February 2010 - New Scientist

Fascinating read

Richard L. Doty is director of the University of Pennsylvania's Smell and Taste Center. His awards include the US National Institutes of Health's James A. Shannon award (1996), and the Association for Chemoreception Sciences' Max Mozell award for outstanding achievement in the chemical senses (2005). This essay is based on his book, The Great Pheromone Myth (Johns Hopkins University Press)

Richard Doty states:

"All in all, it looks as if "pheromonology" has become a modern-day phrenology, providing simple but false explanations for most chemically mediated social behaviours and endocrine responses, satisfying only those who seek simple answers to complex phenomena. Perhaps once the idea that mammals have pheromones is dispelled, we can work towards an appreciation of the real role chemicals play in their lives".

The pheromone myth: Sniffing out the truth - 24 February 2010 - New Scientist

1 comment:

eula_w said...

This is really a fascinating read. Richard Doty states are very true. That is what do pheromones work.