Ok, I have to share this one

[ismnotwasm]

Women May Be Sniffing Out Biologically-relevant Information From Underarm Sweat


ScienceDaily (Apr. 7, 2009) — It may be wise to trust the female nose when it comes to body odor. According to new research from the Monell Center, it is more difficult to mask underarm odor when women are doing the smelling.

"It is quite difficult to block a woman's awareness of body odor. In contrast, it seems rather easy to do so in men," said study lead author Charles J. Wysocki, PhD, a behavioral neuroscientist at Monell.

The researchers speculate that females are more attuned to biologically relevant information in sweat that may guide women when choosing a mate.

In the study, women and men rated the strength of underarm odors, both alone and in conjunction with various fragrances.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090407074945.htm

This one wins a prize. I don't know for what, probably something in the "Women-really-like hairy-sweaty-real-manly-men" bullshit category.

Wonder how much the volunteers got paid?

[redqueen]

1. I don't think they were implying that women *like* those odors.

Just that they serve some biological purpose, and that that probably accounts for the disparity in the sexes' ability to discern them.

[ismnotwasm]

2. Perhaps

These types of evo-biology studies almost always start from a flawed premise, or are flawed in themselves. Women have been hyper-attuned to aroma socially for quite some time. I don't see how studies can possibly sort it out biologically by gender.

If proto-humans started out breeding while the female was in estrus, it makes more evolutionary sense for males to be more attuned to smell given the hormonal shift of a female ready to breed.

However, I love the smell of my husbands skin. That's quite a bit different then body odor of course.

[Brainrazer]

3. contradictory statement

"Women have been hyper-attuned to aroma socially for quite some time. I don't see how studies can possibly sort it out biologically by gender."

I don't see how what you said is not contradictory.

[ismnotwasm]

5. Oh, I just mean socialization

How do you separate what is inherently biological vs. what is socialization? That's why I hate gender studies like this.

[BlueIris]

4. That is really interesting.

I've long held the opinion that the smarter people have nicer smelling er...sweat.

[redqueen]

6. I have sometimes thought

that people who were in some way compatible (who had 'chemistry' so to speak) found each other's scent less offensive or possibly even appealing.