Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 16, 2008 4:20:40 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Want to Meet the Smell of Your Dreams?

Posted Jan 13, 08 7:27 AM CST in Science & Health 

(Newser) – The nose knows. A new dating agency aims to use research into body odor to match up singles who just sniff right to each other, the Economist reports. The founder of ScientificMatch.com is drawing on a ten-year-old study that found a genetic reason for why women found the smell of some men's dirty shirts more attractive than others.

In the study, women volunteers sniffed and rated the smell of men's three-day-old T-shirts. DNA analysis of the sniffers and the wearers found a link to genes that affect the immune system. Singles hoping to find that biologically compatible smell will need to send a check, a mouth swab and a questionnaire to the agency—but no dirty shirts.

Source Economist

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • To Find Love, Show Some: Study

    Sep 8, 08 5:28 PM CDT
    To Find Love, Show Some: Study Unrequited romantics can stop blaming facial symmetry and voice pitch for their woes: A new study suggests finding love might be as simple as declaring it, the Independent reports. Social cues such as eye contact, smiling, and verbal come-ons play an important role in beckoning Cupid, researchers concluded after showing hundreds of men and women flash cards of faces with different expressions. More »

  • 'Cupid's Cabbie' Rings Up First Engagement

    Jul 5, 08 11:40 AM CDT
    'Cupid's Cabbie' Rings Up First Engagement A New York City couple will soon be walking down the aisle thanks to a taxi driver who moonlights as a matchmaker, the Wall Street Journal reports. Ahmed Ibrahim, who offers his services for free, has been trying to match up the singles who jump in his cab ever since the day in 2004 when a tearful young female passenger asked him to find her a new beau. More »

  • Beauty and Beast Spark Good Lovin'

    Apr 12, 08 10:46 AM CDT
    Beauty and Beast Spark Good Lovin' Trophy wives, take heart. A recent study shows that marriages fare better if the wife is more attractive than the husband. The University of Tennessee survey of 82 couples showed that men place a high premium on a woman’s beauty while women value a caring, supportive husband over chiseled looks, LiveScience reports. More »

  • Lousy Figure? Blame Mom and Dad

    Apr 9, 08 9:10 PM CDT
    Lousy Figure? Blame Mom and Dad Still struggling to get that 36-24-36 figure? Science can’t help you, but it can explain why some girls are leaner than others, reports the Telegraph. Researchers have found a link between parental DNA and female muscle mass, which could explain “why many people will never obtain the perfect figure,” says the head researcher. More »

  • Africans Have Most Diverse DNA

    Feb 21, 08 1:47 PM CST
    Africans Have Most Diverse DNA A pair of wide-ranging genetic studies, published yesterday in the journal Nature, back up the idea that humanity first evolved in Africa before migrating elsewhere, Reuters reports. DNA testing of African Americans and European Americans found that people with African roots had much more genetic diversity. Other tests discovered that DNA diversity decreased the farther away populations were from Africa. More »

Scientists found that immune system genes played a part in the attractive mice found each other. A study found that the same held true for humans, and an enterprising Boston man is using those findings...   (Magnum Photos)
A new dating agency is using the results of a scientific study that rated body odor for attractiveness and analyzed DNA to match up hopeful singles.   (Getty Images)
The genetic matching behind dating agency ScientificMatch.com makes sense from an evolutionary perspective, as it would mean any resulting children would have much stronger immune systems. Biological...   (Flickr)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 1)

Tags

DNA  • love  • dating  • genetic research  • online dating


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other Science & Health Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »