This is something interesting that I just sent to Bret, because he had something about people and why they smell on his blog.

one time i heard a great theory about why people smell, that i would like to share with you right now. anyway, i dont have any references or links to send you on it, its just hearsay, but it made a lot of sense to me. anyway, it was my favorite freshman year teacher, Cliff Wun, who is coincidentally, full of great theories. Anyway, he was saying how he read somewhere that smell is somehow a result of genetics. Like its sort of a physical trace of a person’s genetics. Like, say for example, theres like a really pretty girl, but you get close to her, and you’re like, whoa, this chick smells weird. It totally turns you off. Or at least me. But maybe I’m too finicky. I have indeed been accused of that very thing, but then maybe its because of my keen sense of smell that I am so finicky. So am I saying, that a girl that smells good to you is somehow genetically more compatible than a girl that smells weird to you? Yeah, I think that’s where the theory leads ultimately. Interesting right? Also interesting if you think about like perfumes and colognes, because they mask or alter your personal odor, thereby possibly tricking potential “mates” as to your real genetic characteristics. To me, this also ties into why I only like certain deodorants/colognes/perfumes. Cause some of them just seem like, shit, I’m not supposed to wear this, it’s like wearing some other person. But other ones, just seem so appropriate, like they naturally mix with my body chemistry. (Incidentally, the cologne that I wear is from the Body Shop, and its called “Havoc” which is a hilarious name. Anyway, never before did I smell anything that I was like, oh shit! i would wear that. So I bought it, but now I don’t think they sell it anymore! And I’m scared of what happens when I run out! Ok, not really too scared.)

Also, if you apply this genetic-smell theory to territorial pissing, it makes a lot of sense. Cause like, maybe if you were an old-school primate or a wolf or something, you would be able to smell whether or not the pee-pee on a tree was from a member of your genetic family or from some other genetic group/tribe/clan/pack whatever. Very interesting.