Scientists create 'sexual tsunami'

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

The secret to sex appeal lies with the tampering of pheromones, creating a "sexual tsunami", according to new research.

Scientists at the University of Toronto found that by genetically tweaking fruit flies so they failed to produce a particular type of pheromone or odour, it turned them irresistible to their species.

Professor Joel Levine, who led the study, removed the cuticular hydrocarbon pheromone, used by the flies to communicate.

They discovered that when the pheromone was removed, it created a "sexual tsunami" where the bugs proved attractive to one another, regardless of sex. The research found that male fruit flies with no history of homosexuality attempted to mate with their pheromone-free males, according to the research published in journal Nature.

Even flies of a different species were interested, according to the research team.

"Lacking these chemical signals eliminated barriers to mating," Prof Levine said.

He conceded however that although pheromones play a key part in the human mating game, ours is far more complex than that of fruit flies.

"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."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science...al-tsunami.html

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

The first time I read this I thought it said made them irresistible to "other species". I found myself disgusted at first and then began wondering, which ones?

[almaty 19]

[Peikko 1,575]

It certainly doesn't explain human homosexuality, because if it did, everyone would be sexually attracted to those individuals that lacked the 'sexuality' pheromone which is obviously not the case.

[HAL 9000 96]

I'd stick with Martha McClintock's work on pheromones instead.

[Peikko 1,575]

What's with the predilection for using 'tsunami' instead of tidal wave these days anyway?

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

What's with the predilection for using 'tsunami' instead of tidal wave these days anyway?

Hurricanes, Cyclones and Typhoons describe the exact same phenomena, the names only vary depending on where in the world it takes place.

Tidal wave is a general term that refers to a number of different things - "including" waves caused by undersea earthquakes - but its inaccurate as it implies it has something to do with tides (unlike tidal surges - which are related to tides).

"Tsunami" is specifically related to waves generated by seismic activity.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Tsunami probably has more power due to recent memories of the impacts in Inodonesia.

Growth = Too monotonous

Increase = Dull

Accelerate = Often

[Peikko 1,575]

No, I meant as a metaphor. The old metaphor was tidal wave.

[Trumplestiltskin 5,791]

Probably the same reason. I haven't heard anyone use "tidal wave" in years.

[Ban Hammer 12,836]

The first time I read this I thought it said made them irresistible to "other species". I found myself disgusted at first and then began wondering, which ones?

easy tiger, i doubt you are that small.