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July 23, 2008
Our Genes Look Great Together
Posted by Lisa Jarvis on July 23, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere, Uncategorized
The evolution of dating has made, depending on your viewpoint, either a giant technological leap or a bizarre move backward. While online dating sites try to help singles find their companions based on chemistry, in the abstract sense, Swiss start-up company GenePartner wants to match you based on Chemistry, in the literal sense. The basis for finding your special someone? According to their website:
“Prof. Dr. Wedekind recruited female volunteers to smell T-shirts worn by men for three consecutive days and rate them for attractiveness. He then analyzed the particular part of DNA that codes for HLA (human leukocyte antigen) molecules and found that women preferred T-shirts from men whose HLA molecules were most different from their own. Sensing and classifying the HLA genes is something our bodies do automatically and subconsciously.”
The company claims to have found patterns of HLA genes that “attract,” by comparing the genes of couples in working relationships, as well as singles.
Amazingly, this isn’t just for singles. The company wants to test how compatible existing couples are. Hmm. Is this all leading to a new form of break-up? “Sorry baby, it’s not you, it’s your genes.”
Improbable TV
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Posted by Rachel Pepling on July 23, 2008 in Chemistry is Everywhere
The folks over at Improbable Research (of Annals of Improbable Research and Ig Nobels fame) have found one more way to make people laugh and then think. Improbable TV is a web-based series of short videos that highlight bits from the magazine, Ig Nobel lectures, and various other sources. Each episode (posted on YouTube) is about three minutes long and contains a mishmash of bits that may or may not be related (so far not), and that’s kind of part of the fun. Have a look at the first episode:
New episodes should appear about every two weeks. Next up: “Cuticles, and two reactions.”
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