What are pheromones?

Pheromones are chemicals released by one member of a species that influence the behavior or physiology of other members of the same species, or sometimes even different species. While the effects of pheromones are well-documented in many animal species, their role in humans remains controversial and not clearly defined. Andrew Huberman explains that pheromones can dramatically impact biological processes such as ovulation cycles and can even result in phenomena like spontaneous abortion in certain animals when exposed to specific pheromones from other males. However, the direct equivalent effects in humans are not well-established, and the physiological mechanisms of how humans might process pheromones, if present, are still debated 1 2.