Last Wednesday, the journal Science Advances released a study that researched if friends tend to have similar body odors and if their scents affect first impressions.
Some friends who just “click” from the start recall having similar hobbies, classes, or senses of humor. However, researchers in the past have linked similar genetics, brain activity, and appearance to lasting friendships. Inbal Ravreby, a graduate student in Noam Sobel’s lab from the Weizmann Institute of Science, now thinks that similar body odors may lead to stronger relationships. She ran two experiments to prove her suspicions: one testing “click” friends and one with total strangers.
Before each experiment, Ravreby told the subjects to follow a series of steps for a couple of days to collect their natural body odors. They had to avoid foods like garlic or onions, limit use of aftershave, deodorants, perfumes, and bathe with unscented soap from the researchers. Finally, the subjects had to sleep with a clean shirt that would catch all their body odors before returning it to the scientists. The researchers then compare the body odors found in each subject’s smelly shirts and analyze the results.
After measuring the scents from every shirt, the researchers found that the 20 pairs of “click” friends did have similar body odors compared to other strangers. They concluded that the friends probably subconsciously picked up each other’s smells when they first met.
Though the experiment was a success, the scientists remained skeptical. What if they just had similar lifestyles or diets? To determine if body odors truly sparked relationships, Ravreby conducted another experiment.
She invited 132 people, who had already prepared a smelly shirt for her to analyze, to play a mirroring game. They partnered up and mimicked each other’s movements. Later, the subjects answered a survey on if they felt a connection with their pair. According to an article by Veronique Greenwood in the New York Times, “the similarities of their odors, strikingly, predicted whether both felt there had been a positive connection 71 percent of the time.” This means that people with similar body odors tend to get along better.
Ravreby and her team is currently working on new research where they change people’s scent and analyze if those with similar body odors still bond. The study will further investigate if humans are like other mammals who factor smell into their decision making.
Many animals use chemicals, called pheromones, to establish positive or negative relationships with others of the same species. Pheromones can float in the air or rest on objects. They can attract a mate, like when a female moth secretes pheromones to let males know her location. Or, the chemicals can mark territory, such as when a male lion urinates on trees to defend his territory from other lions.
For humans, while common interests and tastes play a part in developing friendships, there might be a more concrete science behind relationships that needs exploring. “If you think of the bouquet that is body odor, it’s 6,000 molecules at least,” Dr. Sobel stated. “There are 6,000 that we know of already — it’s probably way more.”
Some friends who just “click” from the start recall having similar hobbies, classes, or senses of humor. However, researchers in the past have linked similar genetics, brain activity, and appearance to lasting friendships. Inbal Ravreby, a graduate student in Noam Sobel’s lab from the Weizmann Institute of Science, now thinks that similar body odors may lead to stronger relationships. She ran two experiments to prove her suspicions: one testing “click” friends and one with total strangers.
Before each experiment, Ravreby told the subjects to follow a series of steps for a couple of days to collect their natural body odors. They had to avoid foods like garlic or onions, limit use of aftershave, deodorants, perfumes, and bathe with unscented soap from the researchers. Finally, the subjects had to sleep with a clean shirt that would catch all their body odors before returning it to the scientists. The researchers then compare the body odors found in each subject’s smelly shirts and analyze the results.
After measuring the scents from every shirt, the researchers found that the 20 pairs of “click” friends did have similar body odors compared to other strangers. They concluded that the friends probably subconsciously picked up each other’s smells when they first met.
Though the experiment was a success, the scientists remained skeptical. What if they just had similar lifestyles or diets? To determine if body odors truly sparked relationships, Ravreby conducted another experiment.
She invited 132 people, who had already prepared a smelly shirt for her to analyze, to play a mirroring game. They partnered up and mimicked each other’s movements. Later, the subjects answered a survey on if they felt a connection with their pair. According to an article by Veronique Greenwood in the New York Times, “the similarities of their odors, strikingly, predicted whether both felt there had been a positive connection 71 percent of the time.” This means that people with similar body odors tend to get along better.
Ravreby and her team is currently working on new research where they change people’s scent and analyze if those with similar body odors still bond. The study will further investigate if humans are like other mammals who factor smell into their decision making.
Many animals use chemicals, called pheromones, to establish positive or negative relationships with others of the same species. Pheromones can float in the air or rest on objects. They can attract a mate, like when a female moth secretes pheromones to let males know her location. Or, the chemicals can mark territory, such as when a male lion urinates on trees to defend his territory from other lions.
For humans, while common interests and tastes play a part in developing friendships, there might be a more concrete science behind relationships that needs exploring. “If you think of the bouquet that is body odor, it’s 6,000 molecules at least,” Dr. Sobel stated. “There are 6,000 that we know of already — it’s probably way more.”