The Asian mammal the binturong, also known as the bearcat, has a smell that uncannily similar to popcorn. Researches at Duke University and Hendrix College has discovered this is because of the high amounts of 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (2-AP) in its urine. 2-AP is also found in popcorn and is produced from the Maillard reaction, a chemical reaction that's responsible for the smell of browning foods and baking bread. While in the kitchen the Maillard reaction requires high heat, researches suspect the bearcats produce it through an enzymatic process and use it as a signal of sexual maturity. |
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December 2021
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