For years scientists have tried to uncover the mystery of human attraction. While there is still mystery, one important part of human attraction has been discovered and it resides in our genes. Two people with different immunity genes find each other more irresistible than two people with the same immunity genes. This even happens in animals like mice and fish. They do this by using their highly sensitive nose to figure out if a potential mate has similar of different immunity genes than themselves.

But if our sense of smell is not as sensitive as a fish or mouse is smell really part of human attraction?

Turns out it is!

The Scent of Human Attraction.

Our immunity genes cause us to have a particular smell. The more different a person’s immunity genes are, the more attractive they smell to us. So if we like how another person smells, it’s more likely we will find them irresistible.

It was recently discovered at the Max Planck Institute in Germany that humans use perfumes that enhance the smell produced by their own immunity genes. Female participants had their immunity genes tested and were then given two different bottles of perfume. One bottle would enhance the smell produced by their immunity genes, and one that did not. It was kept a secret which bottle would enhance their natural smell.

Surprise, Surprise!

Participants preferred the bottle of perfume that enhanced the natural smell produced by their immunity genes. This suggests that humans use perfume to enhance the smell of their immunity genes. This could make them even more irresistible to the right person. The smell of their preferred perfume also activated regions of their brain which did not activate with perfumes they didn’t like.

So if you like your perfume, that’s one step down the right road to finding someone irresistible. It’s the scent of human attraction and it starts with our genes.