[sworhorvath (OP)]

Dear Scientists,

I am having a spot of trouble.

I have a friend who is very interesting and fun- we have a good time together. He's a good friend.

I have begun to find myself affected by his pheromones and feel it is getting in the way of our friendship. He doesn't know this by the way.

Can I spend time with him if I put a peg on my nose? I am really starting to resent it- it's very inconvenient.

I would love some advice-

[Mirage]

When I was younger I used to have a friend who smelt quite bad.
But in the end I just got used to his smell.

The only thing I can suggest is that you buy some ear plugs []



Ooooo, sorry meant to say Welcome and enjoy yourself []




Some days it's not even worth knawing at the straps

[rosy]

Just to check I'm interpretting you correctly... I assume what you mean is that you're finding yourself more aware of him as a *male* person rather than just, as it were, a generically person-ish person?

Yah. Been there... being less perceptive about what was going on than you clearly are, I didn't notice until I was, um, more or less going out with the friend in question (which has turned out to be a good thing, in the long run, but I think that was luck.. and it was a bit messy in the interim).

I'm not sure I can offer you any advice. I'm not very clear about how the sense of smell works but I rather suspect that the clothes peg approach wouldn't work because you'd be bound to breathe the pheromones through your mouth and they'd presumably get up into your nose that way. Besides, I think a clothespeg might be taken in bad part by your friend.

I take it running with it and seeing where it goes isn't an option?  Otherwise... trying to engineer so that you see him in well ventilated places for a bit?

Good luck, anyway.

[another_someone]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomeronasal_organ

quote:
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) or Jacobson's organ is an auxiliary olfactory sense organ in some tetrapods. In adults, it is located in the vomer bone, between the nose and the mouth. It develops from the nasal (olfactory) placode, at the anterior edge of the neural plate.
Its function is somewhat mysterious. The sensory neurons within the vomeronasal organ detect distinct chemical compounds, often but not always large non-volatile molecules. The vomeronasal organ is used in the detection of pheromones in some animals such as mice, although some pheromones are detected by the main olfactory epithelium, and the vomeronasal organ detects other compounds in addition to pheromones. Cats sense nepetalactone from catnip using the vomeronasal organ.
Snakes use it to sense smell prey, sticking their tongue out and touching it to the opening to the organ. Elephants transfer chemosensory stimuli to the vomeronasal opening in the roof of their mouths using the "finger" at the tips of their trunks. Some mammals use a distinctive facial movement called flehmen to direct compounds to this organ, while in some other mammals the entire organ contracts or pumps to draw in compounds.
Anatomical studies demonstrate that in humans the vomeronasal organ regresses during fetal development, as is the case with some other mammals, including other apes, cetaceans, and some bats. There is no evidence of a neural connection between the organ and the brain in adult humans. Nevertheless, a small pit can be found in the nasal septum of some people, and some researchers have argued that this pit represents a functional vomeronasal organ. Thus, its possible presence in humans remains controversial.

George

[Mirage]

When I was younger I used to have a friend who smelt quite bad.
But in the end I just got used to his smell.

The only thing I can suggest is that you buy some ear plugs []



Ooooo, sorry meant to say Welcome and enjoy yourself []




Some days it's not even worth knawing at the straps

[rosy]

Just to check I'm interpretting you correctly... I assume what you mean is that you're finding yourself more aware of him as a *male* person rather than just, as it were, a generically person-ish person?

Yah. Been there... being less perceptive about what was going on than you clearly are, I didn't notice until I was, um, more or less going out with the friend in question (which has turned out to be a good thing, in the long run, but I think that was luck.. and it was a bit messy in the interim).

I'm not sure I can offer you any advice. I'm not very clear about how the sense of smell works but I rather suspect that the clothes peg approach wouldn't work because you'd be bound to breathe the pheromones through your mouth and they'd presumably get up into your nose that way. Besides, I think a clothespeg might be taken in bad part by your friend.

I take it running with it and seeing where it goes isn't an option?  Otherwise... trying to engineer so that you see him in well ventilated places for a bit?

Good luck, anyway.

[another_someone]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vomeronasal_organ

quote:
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) or Jacobson's organ is an auxiliary olfactory sense organ in some tetrapods. In adults, it is located in the vomer bone, between the nose and the mouth. It develops from the nasal (olfactory) placode, at the anterior edge of the neural plate.
Its function is somewhat mysterious. The sensory neurons within the vomeronasal organ detect distinct chemical compounds, often but not always large non-volatile molecules. The vomeronasal organ is used in the detection of pheromones in some animals such as mice, although some pheromones are detected by the main olfactory epithelium, and the vomeronasal organ detects other compounds in addition to pheromones. Cats sense nepetalactone from catnip using the vomeronasal organ.
Snakes use it to sense smell prey, sticking their tongue out and touching it to the opening to the organ. Elephants transfer chemosensory stimuli to the vomeronasal opening in the roof of their mouths using the "finger" at the tips of their trunks. Some mammals use a distinctive facial movement called flehmen to direct compounds to this organ, while in some other mammals the entire organ contracts or pumps to draw in compounds.
Anatomical studies demonstrate that in humans the vomeronasal organ regresses during fetal development, as is the case with some other mammals, including other apes, cetaceans, and some bats. There is no evidence of a neural connection between the organ and the brain in adult humans. Nevertheless, a small pit can be found in the nasal septum of some people, and some researchers have argued that this pit represents a functional vomeronasal organ. Thus, its possible presence in humans remains controversial.

George

[sworhorvath (OP)]

Thank you.

I saw my friend yesterday and had a bit too much to drink and I think I scared him away.

I will try to control myself in future. I am seeing someone else so its not appropriate to throw myself at my friend. Also I'd like him to remain a friend.

[ROBERT]

" One of the first and most famous experiments on the science of attraction asked women to rate intensity, pleasantness, and sexiness based on men's sweaty T-shirts. Claus Wedekind of the Zoological Institute at Bern University in Switzerland wanted to see if women could differentiate between men with similar and dissimilar immune systems.

Dr. Wedekind believed that women, using pheromones as signals, would rate T-shirts from men with dissimilar immune systems higher on all three counts, thus making the likelihood of genetically diverse, healthy offspring greater. He found that "women... who are dissimilar to a particular male's MHC [immune system markers of identity] perceive his odor as more pleasant than women whose MHC is more similar to that of the test man ."

Further evidence that pheromones might play a role in attraction was found by Dr. Carole Ober of the University of Chicago's Department of Human Genetics. Her group took DNA samples from an isolated religious group called the Hutterites. This group from South Dakota marries among themselves and tends to have large families. The Hutterites descend from 64 European immigrants and thus have a similar genetic make-up, including immune system types.

The University of Chicago group examined the haplotype matches of MHC immune system markers for couples. Random pairings in the colony, based on genetic data generated by a computer simulation, were compared to the colonies' actual couples. The simulation predicted many more haplotype-matched couples (identical immune systems) than were actually found in the Hutterites. Dr. Ober's explanation? She believes that pheromones could have prevented couples with identical immune systems from being attracted to each other. "

http://www.students.emory.edu/HYBRIDVIGOR/issue1/attraction.htm

[sworhorvath (OP)]

Ok- he is now ignoring me.

Got drunk- told him (by text message) how I felt and haven't heard from him since. Am I really that repulsive??? Too scared to phone and ask what's going on!!!

At least his pheromones are out of my nose!!!

[Mirage]

quote:Originally posted by sworhorvath


Am I really that repulsive???  

From your photo definitely not. Depends on if you have an accent []

But seriously you are very attractive. Perhaps he's just a little shy.

But how long ago did you text him? Was it last night?

Was he drunk?



Some days it's not even worth knawing at the straps

[neilep]

quote:Originally posted by sworhorvath

 Am I really that repulsive???

I agree with Mirage...you are a serious babe !!..he needs to open his eyes..

So, please do not put yourself down again ..ok ?..that's an order !! []

Men are the same as women, just inside out !

[moonfire]

Maybe he is scared of women?  Maybe he prefers men?

"Lo" Loretta

[Karen W.]

HMMMMMMM!

Karen

[sworhorvath (OP)]

Why Thanks- maybe its the stench of desperation. Hehe!

I've heard from a mutual friend that he hasn't paid his phone bill and cannot recieve messages. I'm too scared to ask if he got the message- its likely that he didn't recieve it at all.

Hmmm?

[Mirage]

Try him, and if he didn't get it tell him. The last thing you want is to let the things inside tear you up. Experience has taught me so.
Well that's my opinion anywho, I could well be wrong

There's a girl I need to talk to, just need to finally be able to get in contact with her.

-------------------------
Flying Monkey Slayer says:

Some days it's not even worth knawing at the straps

[Karen W.]

Well did you get her DAN??

Karen

[moonfire]

quote:Originally posted by sworhorvath

Why Thanks- maybe its the stench of desperation. Hehe!

I've heard from a mutual friend that he hasn't paid his phone bill and cannot recieve messages. I'm too scared to ask if he got the message- its likely that he didn't recieve it at all.

Hmmm?

Ride like the wind...kick him to the curb, roll up on some mud puddle and splash him...okay, okay....I am leaving now...LOL  Just Kidding! [}:)]

"Lo" Loretta

[Karen W.]

OK GOOD DEAL>>>

Karen

[sworhorvath (OP)]

Yes I might just call him and get it out of the way. It really been on my mind. Hate not knowing.

"You don't have to tell anybody a damn thing you don't want to"- Mink Stole.