In Our Time

Pheromones

Feb 21, 2019
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Goldfish Pheromones: An Accidental Discovery

  • Goldfish pheromones were discovered accidentally when male goldfish downstream from hormonally-treated females became excited.
  • This suggests pheromones can evolve from eavesdropping, with males developing sensitivity to leaked cues, later becoming intentional signals.
INSIGHT

Royal Jelly's Direct Tissue Impact

  • Royal jelly, given to developing bee larvae, acts directly on tissues, not through typical sense organs.
  • This "allohormone pheromone" influences development, demonstrating pheromones' diverse mechanisms.
ANECDOTE

Bolas Spider's Deceptive Pheromones

  • Bolas spiders deceive male moths by mimicking female moth pheromones.
  • They even adjust their counterfeit blends throughout the night to lure different moth species, showcasing pheromonal deception.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app