The role of smell in evolution

2000/12/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Eboluzioa

Researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Israel explained in the journal Nature genetics the theory that relates smell to the evolution of man. It seems that on chromosome 17 humans have a group of a thousand genes that encode the olfactory receptors of the nose and, although today half are not active, affirms that the mere fact has some function in our ancestors. Chimpanzees do not have equivalent genes. According to Israeli researchers, the developed smell gave humans an evolutionary advantage over chimpanzees, as the greatest ability to identify toxic foods.