空气中弥漫的爱
The science of Sex Ed: Why do we develop feelings for others? Why do some people attract us, while others don't?
性教育的科学性：为什么我们会对别人有好感？为什么有一些人对我们有吸引力，有一些人没有？
The movie Love Actually is a Christmas classic, mostly because viewers can truly believe that, at least in the movie, love is in the air. But few of us really understand how attraction, or love, actually work.
电影《真爱至上》是一部圣诞节经典电影，而我认为主要原因是因为观众可以相信，至少在电影中，爱情是无处不在的。但是真正了解吸引力和爱情是如何产生的人很少，今天就来解答一下为什么别人会对我们有吸引力吧。
From body odors and physical appearances to behaviors and personalities, a variety of factors might account for the “sex appeal” people have or feel when interacting with others. But what is “sex appeal” truly about? How can we explain this inexplicable gravity that pulls us towards each other?
从体香到外表到行为到个性，各种各样外界因素都可以导致大家在与他人互动时感受到的“性吸引力”（sex appeal）。但是，“性吸引力”到底是什么呢？我们如何解释这种无形将我们拉向彼此的吸引力？
One possible answer lies in the body’s chemistry: pheromones.
有一个可能的答案，就潜伏在人体的化学物质里：信息素（pheromones）。
Pheromones are chemical signals used for communication between members of the same species. They work like external hormones, and can be found in both insects and animals. These chemicals were first discovered in 1959, when Nobel Prize–winning German chemist Adolf Butenandt found that female silkworm moths secrete a sex pheromone called bombykol to attract male moths. When female moths flutter their wings, the pheromone molecules they release encourage extremely sensitive males to fly towards them and mate.
信息素是同一物种的成员之间进行通信的一种化学信号。它们和激素是一样的作用，而且还可以在各种各样的昆虫和动物身体中发现。这些化学物质由因此获得诺贝尔奖的德国化学家阿道夫·布特南特（Adolf Butenandt）在1959年首次发现。第一个人类发现的信息素是女性蚕蛾体内会分泌的一种叫费米酚的“性”信息素来吸引雄蛾。当雌性飞蛾拍打翅膀时，它们释放的信息素分子会让极其敏感的雄性更容易找到它们并且交配。
In animals, pheromones are used similarly for social purposes. Mother rabbits use pheromones to attract newborns to their nipple. Male house mice, on the other hand, mark their territories and attract females through their urine, containing the pheromone darcin.
在动物中，信息素更用于社交。比如说，母兔会使用信息素帮助新生的兔宝宝吸入乳头。但不要担心，在动物路信息素也还是用语交配方面的！比如说雄家鼠会在其领土上留下标记，并通过含有达辛（一种信息素）的尿液吸引雌性（说白了就是跟狗狗一样撒尿标记吸引雌性）。
For decades, research on pheromones in insects and animals has led to speculation about the possible presence and role of human pheromones. However, identifying these chemicals in humans is difficult. Animals use a specialized structure in their noses, called the vomeronasal organ, to detect pheromones, but in humans, this structure has become almost inactive.
一直以来对昆虫和动物信息素的研究导致科学家们猜测人类信息素的可能存在和作用。但这是一种很难在人体中鉴定这些化学物质。比如说动物在鼻子中会有一种特殊的结构（称为犁鼻器官）来检测信息素，但在人类里，这种结构几乎已经退化没了。
Still, scientists have discovered some potential human pheromones, like certain types of axillary steroids, which are chemicals found in armpit sweat. In double-blind, placebo-controlled experiments by Cutler and McCoy and Pitino, the researchers found that the more people are exposed to steroids, the higher their sexual attraction towards others. Upon closer examination, the experimenters found that within these axillary steroids, two axillary acids—androstenol and androstadienone—worked most effectively in arousing sexual desire and feelings of attraction, and were therefore considered as potential human pheromones. 尽管如此，科学家仍然发现了一些潜在的人体内的信息素，例如某些类型的腋窝类固醇，它们是腋窝汗液中发现的化学物质。在由科学家们Cutler和McCoy和Pitino进行的双盲、安慰剂对照实验中，他们发现，这种拥有腋窝类固醇越多的人对他人的“性”吸引力就越高。经过仔细检查科学家们发现，在这些腋窝类固醇中，腋窝酸-雄烯醇和雄甾烷二酮能最有效地唤起性欲和吸引力，因此这俩化学物质被认为是潜在的人类“性”信息素。
Both androstenol and androstadienone are produced from the human sweat glands. These chemicals work by activating the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that sends out functional and external signals to regulate the body’s homeostasis and release of hormones. In McCoy and Pitino’s experiment, synthesized pheromones formulated on the basis of substances like androstanol and androstadienone were added to female participants’ perfumes. After six weeks, the perfume use was shown to increase the women’s frequency of sociosexual activities like sexual intercourse, dates, and intimate physical contact. Scientists have thus concluded that the chemicals used in the synthesized pheromone can act as a potential sexual attractant and can lend support to the existence and role of human pheromones.
雄甾烯醇和雄甾烷二烯酮均由人类汗腺产生。这些化学物质通过激活下丘脑而发挥作用，而这里则刚刚好是大脑发出功能性和外部信号来调节人体的体内平衡和激素的释放的地方。在McCoy和Pitino的实验中，将基于雄甾烷醇和雄甾烷二烯酮等物质配制的合成信息素添加到女性参与者的香水中六周后，使用这个香水便发现可以增加女性参加性交、性行为、约会、和亲密身体接触等社交活动的频率。因此，科学家得出结论，合成信息素中使用的化学物质可以作为潜在的“性吸引剂”，为人类信息素的存在和作用提供支持。
So, the next time you “sense” the chemistry between people, you might be witnessing their pheromone exchange. After all, visible or not, love might truly be in the air.
所以呀，下次你“感知”人与人之间的化学反应时（俗称cp感），你可能正在目睹他们的信息素交换。毕竟，无论可见与否，爱情都真正有可能存在于空气之中呢！
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