The Role of Pheromones

Pheromones excite moths and cause them to perform a mating dance.

Scientists believe pheromones may be one of the keys to physical attraction, according to BBC News. Scientific discoveries support this theory, though studies have focused on insects and animals more frequently than humans.

Origins

Insects were the first subjects of pheromone studies, according to Howard Hughes Medical Institute. In 1956, researchers discovered a compound--the first pheromone--that caused intense attraction in silkworm moths.

Dilemmas

The role of pheromones in mammals is more difficult to pinpoint. Unlike insects, mammals do not always act in predictable ways. Humans are the most challenging subjects for pheromone studies, notes chemist Alan Singer at the Monell Chemical Senses Center.

Function

Pheromones encourage propagation by causing attraction between creatures of the same species. For instance, pheromones cause male moths to flutter their wings in a mating dance.

References

• Howard Hughes Medical Institute: Pheromones and Mammals
• Bellarmine University: Human Pheromones
• BBC News: The Magic of Sexual Attraction