Evolution may be reason why teenagers smell bad and toddlers smell good, study says
BOSTON - Have you noticed that your sweet-smelling baby has suddenly turned into a funky-smelling teenager? A new study looks at why.
German scientists sewed small cotton patches into the armpits of t-shirts of 18 teenagers and the body suits of 18 toddlers under the age of three.
They found that the teens secreted two stinky compounds that the toddlers did not. These glands get activated around puberty.
There may be an evolutionary reason for this change in odor. Parents will want to stay near a sweet-smelling baby, but may want to put distance between themselves and their teen who craves independence.
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