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Moth wings have a sense of smell

Researchers discovered that tobacco hawkmoth wings have specialized hair-like structures that can detect specific aromas. The wings contain sensory receptors that can pick out unpleasant amine odours, guiding the moths to their favorite plants for laying eggs.

SourceThe Company of Biologists·JournalJournal of Experimental Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 27, 2026

Flies use directional memory to track a scent

Researchers found that flies use brain circuitry for spatial navigation to remember where a plume boundary lies and steer back to it. By tracking the edge of an odor plume, flies store a directional memory that allows them to navigate towards the scent source even in turbulent conditions.

SourceRockefeller University·JournalNature·DateJul 22, 2026
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Sniffing out cancer: Trained dogs can detect hemangiosarcoma by scent

Researchers at Penn Vet have shown that trained dogs can identify the odor of hemangiosarcoma, a malignant cancer of blood vessel cells, with an accuracy rate of 70%. Early detection could lead to better outcomes, including prevention of disease spread and earlier removal of the spleen or initiation of chemotherapy.

SourceUniversity of Pennsylvania·JournalThe Veterinary Journal·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 20, 2026

New review highlights urgent need for worldwide smell screening

A new review emphasizes the importance of smell health, highlighting its role in nutrition, cognitive function, and psychological resilience. Researchers call for a global campaign to promote smell health through education, awareness, and targeted public health policies.

SourceUniversity of East Anglia·JournalClinical Otolaryngology·TypeLiterature review·DateDec 1, 2025

Testosterone in body odour linked to perceptions of social status

A study from the University of Victoria suggests that humans can smell testosterone and associate it with dominance. The research found that participants rated men with higher testosterone levels as more dominant than those with lower levels, indicating a link between body odour and perceptions of social status.

SourceUniversity of Victoria·JournalEvolution and Human Behavior·TypeExperimental study·DateNov 12, 2025

Does fertility affect a woman’s body odor?

Researchers analyzed underarm odour samples from 29 women over a menstrual cycle, finding no evidence that men prefer fertile days. Chemical analysis also showed no correlation between odour composition and fertility status.

SourceUniversität Leipzig·JournalProceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJul 25, 2024
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Are you depressed? Scents might help, new study says

A recent study published in JAMA Network Open found that familiar scents can strengthen memory recall in depressed individuals, potentially aiding recovery. Researchers discovered that odors engage the amygdala, a key component of memory formation, more effectively than words.

SourceUniversity of Pittsburgh·JournalJAMA Network Open·DateFeb 13, 2024

Washing with different soaps could make you more or less attractive to mosquitoes

Researchers found that washing with certain soaps changed the human body odor profile, making some people more attractive and others repellent to mosquitoes. The team identified specific chemicals associated with mosquito attraction and repulsion, offering insights into how soap use can impact mosquito preference.

SourceCell Press·JournaliScience·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 10, 2023
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Smell words differ primarily in terms of pleasantness and edibility

Researchers at Stockholm University developed a fully automatic method to categorize English smell words into offensive, malodorous, fragrant, and edible smells. The study's findings have great potential for standardizing vocabularies in the food and perfume industries.

SourceStockholm University·JournalCognitive Science·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateNov 7, 2022

Chemical cocktail in skin summons disease-spreading mosquitoes

Researchers at University of California - Riverside discovered a chemical cocktail in human skin that summons disease-spreading mosquitoes. The combination of carbon dioxide plus two chemicals, 2-ketoglutaric and lactic acids, elicits a scent that attracts female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, vectors of Zika and other viruses.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalScientific Reports·TypeExperimental study·DateSep 21, 2022

How mosquito brains encode human odor so they can seek us out

Researchers discovered that mosquito brains use a surprisingly simple mechanism to recognize human odor, involving just two nerve centers. The team identified the specific compounds decanal and undecanal as key components of human scent, which are also present in other mammal odors.

SourcePrinceton University·JournalNature·TypeExperimental study·DateMay 4, 2022

The ‘surprisingly simple’ arithmetic of smell

A team of researchers at Washington University in St. Louis used machine learning to understand how locusts can consistently recognize smells despite environmental factors, finding that combining the activity of ON and OFF neurons provides a simple yet effective solution.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 10, 2022

Rats give more generously in response to the smell of hunger

Researchers found that rats prioritize providing food assistance to those in need, as indicated by the 'smell of hunger'. Seven volatile organic chemicals differed significantly between hungry and satiated rats, serving as a reliable cue for reciprocal cooperation.

SourcePLOS·JournalPLOS Biology·DateMar 24, 2020
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