Humans can distinguish at least one trillion odors, but we don’t necessarily make full use of that capability. For wild animals, where smell is associated with survival, scents may provide life or ...

For the first time, researchers have determined how a human olfactory receptor captures an airborne scent molecule, the pivotal chemical event that triggers our sense of smell. Whether it evokes roses ...

How smells impact your mental health, and the benefits of sniffing a flower for just 30 seconds.

When Thomas Hummel gets a whiff of an unripe, green tomato, he finds himself in his childhood home in Bavaria. Under the tilted ceilings of the bedroom that he shared with his two older brothers, ...

Every species perceives the world differently, and the distance at which animals can identify humans varies widely. Some rely on eyesight, others on scent, and many use a combination of senses.

Gut bacteria create smells that influence behavior, shaping aggression and social hierarchy through the brain.

As mammals with large brains, humans experience smell as a powerful sensory experience that’s closely linked with memory. The smell of baking bread may take us back to a moment in Paris. A perfumy ...