Is there such a thing as a uniquely male smell that attracts females? Yes, and it’s not for sale at the cologne counter.In fact, it would probably be a dud in the scent industry. Not many men would want to wear it, especially since it would only beckon ladies of the rodent variety. The distinctive “male” smell was discovered in urine from male mice. It’s produced by a chemical called MTMT (methylio) methanethiol. Female mice don’t make MTMT. Neither do castrated male mice, which lack sex hormones. The compound converts easily into an odoriferous gas. Many compounds in the urine are used to signal reproduction and territorial recognition, say the researchers.A study of MTMT appears in the Feb. 20 advance online edition of the journal Nature. The report comes from researchers including Lawrence Katz, PhD, of Duke University Medical Center.
