3 ms·

I'm also interested in the quotes about some people smelling "sweet". Does that mean they don't have a scent, or that they naturally smell good? People often a

I'm also interested in the quotes about some people smelling "sweet". Does that mean they don't have a scent, or that they naturally smell good? People often act as if any body odor is bad, and I disagree -- many people have a pleasant natural scent. I wonder to what extent that perception has changed over time, and to what extent people's odors have changed over time. (Skin microbiome?)

chris1993 6y ago
It seems to be a signal of genetic compatibility for humans, particularly for women identifying compatible men, related to immune system complementarity [0] [0] https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/articles/200801/scents-and-sensibility https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/articles/200801/scents-an...
082349872349872 6y ago
The Feynman story: https://books.google.ch/books?id=_gA_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT109&lpg=PT109&dq=feynman+smelling&source=bl&ots=HCD0k_-MNI&sig=ACfU3U3HqHI1-lMqIplZcUa5wGdL2blPzw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjkwOu6hczqAhWOw6YKHf1OD0IQ6AEwAHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=feynman%20smelling&f=false https://books.google.ch/books?id=_gA_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT109&lpg=P... As for the daily shower, these days I guess a class distinction is between whether one showers before or after work. (idem for hand washing and urinals?)
- phyzome 6y ago
  Google Books is telling me I've reached my page limit, despite not having used the site in a month. Is this the story about him honing his sense of smell?
  - 082349872349872 6y ago
    yes. "People’s hands smell very different—that’s why dogs can identify people; you have to try it! All hands have a sort of moist smell, and a person who smokes has a very different smell on his hands from a person who doesn’t; ladies often have different kinds of perfumes, and so on. If somebody happened to have some coins in his pocket and happened to be handling them, you can smell that."

3 ms·

I'm also interested in the quotes about some people smelling "sweet". Does that mean they don't have a scent, or that they naturally smell good? People often a

by phyzome 6y ago

chris1993 6y ago
It seems to be a signal of genetic compatibility for humans, particularly for women identifying compatible men, related to immune system complementarity [0] [0] https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/articles/200801/scents-and-sensibility https://www.psychologytoday.com/au/articles/200801/scents-an...
082349872349872 6y ago
The Feynman story: https://books.google.ch/books?id=_gA_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT109&lpg=PT109&dq=feynman+smelling&source=bl&ots=HCD0k_-MNI&sig=ACfU3U3HqHI1-lMqIplZcUa5wGdL2blPzw&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjkwOu6hczqAhWOw6YKHf1OD0IQ6AEwAHoECAoQAQ#v=onepage&q=feynman%20smelling&f=false https://books.google.ch/books?id=_gA_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PT109&lpg=P... As for the daily shower, these days I guess a class distinction is between whether one showers before or after work. (idem for hand washing and urinals?)
- phyzome 6y ago
  Google Books is telling me I've reached my page limit, despite not having used the site in a month. Is this the story about him honing his sense of smell?
  - 082349872349872 6y ago
    yes. "People’s hands smell very different—that’s why dogs can identify people; you have to try it! All hands have a sort of moist smell, and a person who smokes has a very different smell on his hands from a person who doesn’t; ladies often have different kinds of perfumes, and so on. If somebody happened to have some coins in his pocket and happened to be handling them, you can smell that."