Pheromones or love in the air? Attraction in the animal kingdom

While body odour and even tears may influence behaviour, love is far more complex than a whiff of sweat or a drops of tears

African bush elephant in the Tarangire National Park, Tanzania. Do humans have pheromones that influence sexual attraction? Science is still sniffing out the truth. While animals use pheromones to signal everything from romance to rivalry, human chemistry is more complicated.

As Valentine’s Day rolls around, we humans rely on candlelit dinners, poetic declarations, and (let’s be honest) a little help from chocolates and champagne to spark romance. But in the natural world, love — if we can call it that — is far more efficient. Forget dating apps and awkward first dates; when it comes to attraction, nature has perfected a secret weapon—pheromones.

What are pheromones?