Marilyn Monroe Gene
Dublin Core
Title
Marilyn Monroe Gene
Description
Scientists develop 'Marilyn Monroe' gene
October 16 2009 at 01:36pm
By Daily Mail Reporter
Scientists have developed a way of turning ordinary males into irresistible sex gods and females into the equivalent of Marilyn Monroe.
The effect is so strong it has been likened to a "sexual tsunami".
Males and females that were altered in the experiment even managed to turn their heterosexual peers gay.
Researchers discovered the secret to sex appeal by tampering with pheromones.
There is only one catch - so far, it only works on flies.
Professor Joel Levine, who led the study at the University of Toronto, genetically tweaked fruit flies so they failed to produce a particular pheromone or odour, which is used by the flies to communicate.
The effect on males and females when the cuticular hydrocarbon pheromone was removed was a 'sexual tsunami', he said.
The bugs were so irresistible that male fruit flies with no history of homosexuality attempted to mate with their pheromone-free males.
Even flies of a different species were interested, his team reports this week in the journal Nature.
Females without the pheromone turned into the insect equivalent of Marilyn Monroes, he said, and also proved alluring to both sexes.
"Lacking these chemical signals eliminated barriers to mating," said Professor Levine.
While pheromones are also part of the human mating game, our cues for attraction are far more complex, he added.
"We may rely more on the visual system, and we may have a more complex way of assessing other individuals and classifying them and determining how we're going to relate to them than a fly does."
Therefore, he says it is unlikely that the discovery could be turned into an aftershave or pill for humans. - Daily Mail
October 16 2009 at 01:36pm
By Daily Mail Reporter
Scientists have developed a way of turning ordinary males into irresistible sex gods and females into the equivalent of Marilyn Monroe.
The effect is so strong it has been likened to a "sexual tsunami".
Males and females that were altered in the experiment even managed to turn their heterosexual peers gay.
Researchers discovered the secret to sex appeal by tampering with pheromones.
There is only one catch - so far, it only works on flies.
Professor Joel Levine, who led the study at the University of Toronto, genetically tweaked fruit flies so they failed to produce a particular pheromone or odour, which is used by the flies to communicate.
The effect on males and females when the cuticular hydrocarbon pheromone was removed was a 'sexual tsunami', he said.
The bugs were so irresistible that male fruit flies with no history of homosexuality attempted to mate with their pheromone-free males.
Even flies of a different species were interested, his team reports this week in the journal Nature.
Females without the pheromone turned into the insect equivalent of Marilyn Monroes, he said, and also proved alluring to both sexes.
"Lacking these chemical signals eliminated barriers to mating," said Professor Levine.
While pheromones are also part of the human mating game, our cues for attraction are far more complex, he added.
"We may rely more on the visual system, and we may have a more complex way of assessing other individuals and classifying them and determining how we're going to relate to them than a fly does."
Therefore, he says it is unlikely that the discovery could be turned into an aftershave or pill for humans. - Daily Mail
Creator
Alex and Breanna
Source
http://www.iol.co.za/news/back-page/scientists-develop-marilyn-monroe-gene-1.461708#.UEja-o4ZyAE
Collection
Citation
Alex and Breanna, “Marilyn Monroe Gene,” Useless Archives, accessed April 28, 2024, https://useless.as.uky.edu/items/show/87.