Humans and the Olfactory Environment: A Case of Gene-Culture Coevolution?

As hunter-gatherers, humans used their sense of smell to identify plants and animals, find way within a foraging area, or distinguish each other by gender, age, kinship, social dominance. Because women gathered while men hunted, the sexes evolved different sensitivities plant animal odors. They also ended up emitting Male odors served intimidate rival males assert With rise farming sedentism, no longer needed elusive food sources orient themselves large area. Odors now came from narrower range animals. Meanwhile, body odor was removed through bathing facilitate interactions in enclosed spaces. This new phenotype became template for evolution genotype: less sensitivity wild lower emissions male odors, more negative response them. Further change with development fragrances reodorize home. olfactory environment coevolved ability represent mind, notably storage memory, vicarious re-experiencing, sharing people speech writing.