Recent research, conducted at the Weizmann Institute of Sciences in Israel, presented an unexpected discovery that could radically change our understanding of friendship.
This information was reported by the publication Science Advances, reports “URA-Inform”.
It turns out that body odor plays a key role in the formation of friendships. In the study, scientists used an innovative device called an “electronic nose” to analyze the smells of clothes in different people.
They collected samples from two groups of volunteers: some of whom knew each other, and others who were complete strangers.
The experiment involved interactions between participants who were paired up and asked to socialize for a while. Afterwards, the scientists assessed how the participants perceived each other and whether they were able to form friendships. It turned out that people are more likely to form friendships with those whose body smells similar to their own.
«Our results show that although people rely on a variety of important cues when choosing friends, olfaction has a much greater influence on this process than previously thought,» the researchers note.
The study also showed that people subconsciously seek to find friends who are similar to them. Body odor can be one of the key signs of this similarity.
Even if we don't know a person, their smell can make us feel sympathy if it is close to our own. At the same time, even the most attractive person can cause rejection if their smell does not match our preferences.
This is not about the smell of perfumes or hygiene products, but about the natural smell of the body, which is unique for each person.
Let's remember why the Great Sphinx has no nose.