The Scent of Attraction

by Sonia

What happens when you’re attracted to someone: Is it really his cute nose, or something going on deep inside both of your nostrils? According to this article, it’s more likely to be the latter.

That inexplicable pull you feel toward your new crush has more to do than with the way he ruffles his feathers. While looks and personality are significant initially, true attraction is biological.

In fact, the way a person smells tells us about their genetic makeup, and when we decode this information we are comparing their DNA with our own. According to research, we subconsciously sniff out partners whose major histocompatibility complex is most dissimilar to our own. Major histo what, you say?

Well, the MHC, as its known for short, is a series of genes concerned with functions of the immune system. This makes sense in the scheme of evolution because those with parents possessing radically different profiles are likely to be more disease-resistant. Or, to put it more colloquially, the nose knows how to produce the most viable offspring.

And isn’t it comforting to know that survival of the fittest goes hand-in-glove with lust?