"Ladies choice" reigns in the greater sac-winged bat

Females of the greater sac-winged bat select their mating partner by smell and unerringly choose a male which differs from them the most in genetic terms. Females with more variants of olfactory receptors of the TAAR-group ...

Understanding sulfur's rotten smell

Though odorless in its normal state, utility companies add sulfur-containing odorants - called mercaptans or thiols - to the gas so it's easy to detect a leak. The foul smell is reminiscent of rotting cabbage or spoiled eggs.

Olfactory receptor discovered in pigment cells of the skin

Researchers at Ruhr-Universität Bochum were the first ones to prove the existence of an olfactory receptor in pigment-producing cells in human skin, the so-called melanocytes. The team headed by Prof Dr Dr Dr habil. Hanns ...

Study yields insight into the mystery of smell

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have uncovered the mechanism underlying a phenomenon in how we smell that has puzzled researchers for decades. In an article appearing online today in the Proceedings ...

New evidence for the vibration theory of smell

(Phys.org)—The predictive power and galvanizing influence that theoretical models routinely enjoy in physics is only rarely replicated in biology. Lord Raleigh's theory of sound perception, Francis Crick's sequence and ...

How do ants identify different members of their society?

Ants, which are eusocial insects, have intrigued scientists for long as a model for cooperation inside a colony where they nurse the young, gather food and defend against intruders. Most recently, ants have been shown to ...

Making sense of our evolution

The science about our our special senses - vision, smell, hearing and taste - offers fascinating and unique perspectives on our evolution.

A controversial theory of olfaction deemed implausible

Humans can discriminate tens of thousands of odors. While we may take our sense of smell for granted, it adds immeasurably to our quality of life: the aroma of freshly brewed coffee; the invigorating smell of an ocean breeze ...

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