Choosing a partner: The nose knows

London - Organisers of a regular matchmaking event in London are testing smells as a way to make ideal couples: each guest at the party in Stories bar on Broadway Market must bring a T-shirt in which they have slept for three nights.

The idea is to rely on odours we don't consciously notice.

Pheromones are naturally occurring chemicals produced by humans and animals during moments of stress, fear and lust.

Researchers believe they play an important role in partner compatibility, and bars from Berlin to New York have been offering fun with pheromones.

The T-shirts are placed inside a zip-lock bag with an assigned number. Only the T-shirt's owner knows the bag's number. The bags are arranged on a table and guests can open the bags and sniff the T-shirts over the course of the evening.

If you find a shirt that seems agreeable, you take a photo of yourself with the bag and its number, which is then projected as a slideshow on a wall.

If the T-shirt's owner sees a person they find attractive showing delight in their pheromones, they can chat them up.