Science Fiction
Dictionary
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
 |
Your 'Odortype' Is Unique!
It has been known for centuries or even longer that dogs are able to identify individual people and track them over long distances. Recent evidence also indicates that mothers can recognize the odor of their baby and, perhaps, babies can identify the scent of their mother.
How is this done? There must be an olfactory signature much like a fingerprint.
The story of our research program began in 1974, when my mentor, collaborator and a former chairman of Monell, the late Dr Lewis Thomas, building on theories on histocompatibility genes and olfaction, suggested that histocompatibility complex genes, might impart to each individual a characteristic scent.
Dogs, he surmised, might be able to distinguish different human histocompatibility types by the sense of smell. During the past three decades, we have investigated this hypothesis; our studies and more recently, a number of other laboratories have succeeded in verifying the fundamental basis for this prediction.We have shown that mice that differ in as little as a single DNA base pair mutation in one of these genes exhibit different odors. Indeed, theoretically every mouse and every person (except identical twins) have a unique odor determined by these genes. Our studies have encompassed the behavior, physiology and chemistry of this phenomenon.
Genes in the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) have been identified by immunologists as critical for immune response. Animals and humans that are similar at this set of about 50 genes can mutually accept transplants for example.
The MHC of human is called HLA and of mice is called H-2. A unique feature of this set of genes is their extreme variability. Since the MHC is the only group of genes exhibiting this extreme variation, it was hypothesized- correctly as it turned out- that they would be involved in controlling odor types.
An odortype (we defined as) is the genetically-determined body odor that distinguishes one individual of a species from another. The MHC-determined odortype is that portion of the animal's total odortype that is under the control of genes in the Major Histocompatibility Complex.
Science fiction authors have been on the trail of "odortypes" for a long time. Listen to Golden age master Ray Cummings in his 1935 short story Crimes of the Year 2000:
Fans of the great Ray Bradbury may also recall the olfactory system of the Mechanical Hound from Fahrenheit 451 (1953).
Via Monell Center.
We have called this an odorprint or an odortype. Our research over the past years has been designed to discover the nature of this odortype-what genes are involved, what roles it plays in normal animal and human behavior, and ultimately what chemicals are involved in the olfactory code.
2XZ4 —the man wanted for a score of crimes, from murder up to treasonable plotting. 2XZ4 had never been arrested, never been typed. But we had his olfactory classification; the Bloodhound Machine, as the newscasters luridly call it, had contacted his trail several times, so that the scent of him was mathematically known.
(Read more about the Bloodhound Machine)
Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 12/10/2016)
Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |
Would
you like to contribute a story tip?
It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add
it here.
Comment/Join discussion ( 0 )
Related News Stories - (" Surveillance ")
FTC: Says Ring Employees Illegally Surveilled Customers
'Then she looked up with a smile and moved closer to the camera.' - Pournelle and Niven, 1981.)
Perching Ambush Drones
'On the chest of drawers something was perched.' - Philip K. Dick, 1956.
India Ponders Always-On Smartphone Location Tracking
'It is necessary... for your own protection.' - Jack Vance, 1954.
LingYuan Vehicle Roof Drones Now Available, ala Blade Runner 2049
Accompanied by a small selection of similar ideas from science fiction.
Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.
Science Fiction
Timeline
1600-1899
1900-1939
1940's 1950's
1960's 1970's
1980's 1990's
2000's 2010's
Current News
Tentacled Robot Captures Space Debris
Preventing annoying space debris build-up.
Prufrock-MB2 Ready In Nashville
'It sounds to me as though you had invented a kind of metal earthworm.'
DIY Robotic Content Farming
'The chief wheeled to the master machine and pressed a button.'
Reflect Orbital Sunlight On Demand
'I don't have to tell you about the seven two-mile-diameter orbital mirrors that circulate around the satellite, making it habitable.'
The Amazing Lightfoot Electric Scooter With Solar Assist
'The steel tortoise gave MacKinnon a feeling of Crusoe- like independence.'
Fully Electric, Fully Automated Vegetable‑growing Agribots
'...then back to their work, though little enough it was on these automatic cultivators.'
Vero Robotic Dog With Vacuum Cleaner Feet
'Out of warrens in the wall, tiny robot mice darted.'
AI Operates An Excavator
'So far as I could see, the thing was without a directing Martian at all.'
US Army IBEX Exoskeleton Walks Troops Out Of Danger
'The suit stands up and starts walking, gripping me round the calves and waist, taking the bulk of my weight off my throbbing feet.'
Boy Makes Biomimetic Turtle Robot
't came out into plain view. Darkington glimpsed a slim body and six short legs of articulated dull metal.'
Elon Musk Wants Data Centers In Space
'Internally it’s made up of millions of components, but the most important ones are the thinking and memory parts of the Mind proper.'
Origin F1 Humanoid Robot's Facial Skin
'I could look down at that face of carefully molded synthetic rubber, tinted the exact shade of the doctor's living flesh.'
Grok And The City Fathers From 'Cities In Flight' By James Blish
'Chris, the City Fathers are not interested in your welfare; I suppose you know that. They're interested in only one thing: the survival of the city.'
Why Not Move A Warehouse District?
'Did you never see a moving house before?'
Will An AI Found A New Religion?
'You must decide how you will worship Me.'
Terraformer Industries Make Methane
'Drake was the young spatial engineer he employed to terraform the little rock...'
