We hear a lot about pheromones these days. Scent sellers have been touting their powers of sexual attraction and libido amplification for years, but the science behind these claims is sketchy at best. Although pheromone production and detection by humans remains controversial, pheromones are used throughout the insect and vertebrate worlds, among crustaceans and even in plants, in exciting and often surprising ways.
Tag Archives: insects
Geneticists get the skinny on fat-control gene
A gene identified over 50 years ago in fruit flies could provide a valuable weapon in the battle of the bulge. The gene, which influences which fruit flies are svelte and which ones are zaftig, is found in humans as well. Whether it will one day lead to the mythical “skinny pill,” however, remains anyone’s guess.