But researchers in Germany who had men sniff women’s body odour found no compelling evidence that it was more attractive when the women were at their most fertile. And they saw no variations in the odour’s chemical makeup linked to peak fertility.

— Read more in Men may not be more attracted to scent of fertile women, study says at The Guardian.

In previous studies, we already showed that the rapid perception of faces, which are highly relevant visual inputs for infants, is shaped by another highly salient sensory signal for them, the mother’s body odor.

To do that, we relied on electroencephalography (EEG) and measured a face-selective neural response that is enhanced by the presence of the mother’s odor in the 4-month-old brain.

— Read more in Infants Use Mom’s Scent to Recognize Faces at Neuroscience News.

So, does that mean training the nose can help the mind? Some research suggests that it actually might. In one 2022 study, seniors with depression trained their noses for several months and saw their symptoms diminish, especially those who had previous smelling problems.

A smaller 2021 study of dementia patients found that smell training not only improved depression but also helped them remember words faster.

— Read more in Can You Pass the Spice-Drawer Smell Test? at The New York Times.