Women Can Sniff Out Friendship Potential—Literally

Turns out your nose knows more than you think.

According to a new study out of Cornell University, women can often tell whether they’ll like someone just by their scent, before any small talk, eye contact, or awkward hugs are exchanged.

Published in Scientific Reports, the research found that a person’s natural scent, mixed with whatever perfume, deodorant, or even lunch they’ve had, plays a sneaky role in first impressions—and it can be a major clue in determining future friendships.

And get this: it doesn’t stop at first impressions. As friendships grow, our perception of someone’s scent can shift based on how we feel about their personality.

Translation? If someone starts to smell better or worse over time… it might not be about their hygiene.

RELATED: Why Single Women Are Happier Than Single Men: The Surprising Truth

Your nose is doing emotional detective work before your brain catches up.

So the next time you meet someone new and instinctively feel like you’d vibe—or not—it might just be your scent radar doing its thing.