Scents and social preference: Neuroscientists ID the roots of attraction

Culminating a series of studies stretching back eight years, biologists have identified the cellular and molecular basis for social preference, known in the animal kingdom as ‘imprinting.’ Through in vivo experiments, the researchers found the neurological roots of kinship attraction and aversion. They also employed genetics screening to find the regulators controlling this behavior. The study carries implications for understanding social attraction and aversion in a range of animals and humans.