Scientists Discover the Actual “Scent of A Woman”

Mass spectroscopy has identified scent compounds present during ovulation, and their surprising effect on men’s feelings.

We live in a world of sight and sound. That is the human experience. But most other mammals live in a very different world, a world of smells. Evolution has atrophied our sense of smell to the point that, in social situations, we don’t really think about it unless an odor is particularly offensive.

But it turns out that, somewhere deep in the recesses of our brains, we still respond to smell cues from other humans. And, for men at least, certain smells from women can make us more calm, less hostile, and make them seem more attractive.

Thanks to some rigorous research, scientists may have identified exactly the chemical compounds that have this effect on the male of our species. What chemistry makes up the scent of a woman? Hoo-ah. Let’s find out.

The study we’re discussing today, appearing in iScience, is not the first to note that smells can have physical and psychological effects on people. But it may be the most detailed.