Scientists in Japan have identified a “smell sensor” in mice that triggers fear of animals such as foxes and snakes, a finding that could prove aversion to predators is genetically encoded rather than learned.

According to the study team, just sniffing their predators’ scents makes rodents freeze in fear even if they have never encountered them. However, which gene performs the function was unknown until the latest research.

— Read more at Scientists find ‘smell sensor’ that makes mice fear predators at The Asahi Shimbun.

“[This study shows that] bees can tell the difference between flowers where the only difference is their spatial arrangement of scent – and that suggests they could use that information to make their foraging more efficient,” said Dr David Lawson, co-author of the research from the University of Bristol.

—Read more at Bumblebees use perfume patterns to tell flowers apart at The Guardian.

A nearby colony of lovesick crested auklets are the culprits: Males produce a citrus odor to attract females. And as new research in Behavioral Ecology reveals, it's the strength of their citrusy scent along with the size of their crests that really matters.

— Read more at These Birds Make Their Own Citrus-Scented Cologne at National Geographic.

The researchers discovered that olfactory enrichment worked. Dogs often are stressed when they are held in rescue shelters, and they discovered that vanilla, valerian, coconut, and ginger reduced activity and vocalizations (barking and whining) and coconut and ginger increased sleep. Dr. Todd notes that these odors have been found to be beneficial for wombats, sea-lions, Javan gibbons, cats, and rats.

— Read more at Dogs' Noses in the News: Scents Reduce Stress in Shelters at Psychology Today.

The parasite that causes malaria can change the way you smell, making you more attractive to mosquitoes, according to a new study. The work may help explain why the disease is able to spread so effectively.

Read more at Malaria infection creates a ‘human perfume’ that makes us more attractive to mosquitoes at Science.