Scientists discovered whether animals can sense humans’ fear 18:24

French scientists from the University of Tours have experimentally proven that some animals can determine fear and other emotions by human scent. The study was published on: portal Live Science.

The experts’ conclusions are based on experiences with a group of volunteers watching excerpts from comedy and horror movies. After each screening, sweat samples were taken from participants and they were asked to describe their experiences of what they saw.

The scientists then allowed the horses to smell the resulting samples and presented the animal with two swabs taken from the same person.

The researchers found a noticeable change in response. The horse used only its left nostril when examining the pattern associated with good feelings. However, when a fear sample appeared, the horse inhaled the scent through both nostrils and spent more time on that sample.

Experts emphasized that it is unclear from the horses’ behavior whether they associate their sense of smell with feelings of fear. But it turns out that animals can tell the difference between the smells of different emotions.

Scientists suggest that chemosignals, chemical substances produced by animals that can influence the behavior of other creatures, may be behind the horses’ reactions.
In humans, sweat contains various compounds such as adrenaline or androstadienone (a pheromone-like protein) that can cause changes in smell in times of fear. These connections can transfer “emotional information” from one species to another, the study authors say.

A previous study found a similar response to chemosignals in dogs. Like horses, dogs behaved differently depending on whether they smelled a scared person or a happy person. While they tried to stay away from fearful people, they moved closer to cheerful people.

The scientists described their discovery as an example of chemical interspecies communication.

used to be a doctor said about diseases that change the smell of the human body.