Of Mice and Bananas

I just read an interesting article about mice. And bananas.

And no, it wasn't that bananas is a favorite food of mice.

It turns out that bananas stress mice out, particularly male mice. Stressed out as in they are ready to fight or run away.

Bananas can't even move on their own, or why would they be seen as a threat by male mice?

It all comes down to pheromones. Pregnant and lactating female mice produce a pheromone that tells stranger males to go away. It is their first line of defense to keep their pups safe, since stranger males are likely to try to kill pups. By producing this pheromone, the females are warning the males away, introducing the idea that a fight is imminent if they don't leave.

The pheromone in question is n-pentyl acetate, which occurs in the urine of late-term and lactating female mice.

So, where does the banana come in? Well, n-pentyle acetate is very similar to a compound found in many kinds of fruit, but that very similar compound is also used to produce banana extract. And sure enough, when the scientists brought in some banana extract bought from the local grocery store, and put some in the cage with male mice, they got some very stressed-out mice.

I'm glad n-pentyle acetate doesn't work that way on humans.