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Want to Meet the Smell of Your Dreams?

New dating agency plans to use genetics to find right chemistry

By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff

Posted Jan 13, 2008 7:27 AM CST
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(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.

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 to start a dating agency.
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)
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 compatability is also said to, apparently, result in greater happiness and better orgasms.
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)
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.
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)
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