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The Natural History of a Lost Sense

Siri Steiner

An investigation of the vomeronasal organ, which senses pheromones, and how its loss may explain the human proclivity for visual information over pheromonal cues.

This thesis is an investigation of the vomeronasal organ, which senses pheromones. It traces the use of the organ in land-dwelling vertebrates, and suggests evidence that the organ is vestigial in humans and Old World monkeys. Possible explanations for the loss of the vomeronasal organ in these groups are described and evaluated. Notably, the development of tri-color vision may have replaced pheromones for sexual selection in these lineages. This may explain the human proclivity for visual information over pheromonal cues.

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Siri Steiner
Written by
Siri Steiner

Thesis: The Natural History of a Lost Sense

Medical Writer, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center

Siri Steiner Written by Siri Steiner