Chemical substances produced by animals that trigger specific behavioral or physiological responses in other members of the same species.
From Greek pherein (to carry) + hormone (to excite), coined in 1959 by scientists Peter Karlson and Martin Lüscher. It's a scientifically constructed term combining two Greek roots to describe these chemical messengers.
Pheromones are nature's secret language — insects and animals are literally 'talking' in chemicals that are invisible and odorless to humans, but they're shouting conversations about danger, food, and romance. It's like discovering that an entire dimension of communication exists that we can't perceive.
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