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The Science of Scent

Food-Waste Odor: The Most Abundant Compound Is Not Always the Main Player

A study of samples from seven households combined chemical analysis with smelling individual compounds. Diacetyl emerged as a shared candidate, but its amount alone did not predict the strongest food-waste odor.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

The Same Aroma Compound, Guava or Cat Urine? How Wine Changes the Smell

Two Sauvignon blanc aroma compounds were added in trace amounts to water and white wines. Descriptions changed with concentration, medium, and the combination of compounds.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

Will You Still Like the Same Smell Three Months Later?

Women’s preferences showed some consistency even for fresh body-odor samples collected from the same men three months later. Comparisons with fragrances and facial photographs explore preference stability.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

Can Changing Your Own Odor Change the Impression Your Behavior Makes?

Men who used a spray containing fragrance and antibacterial ingredients were rated as more attractive in silent videos. The experiment examined their self-confidence and the impressions formed by others.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

A Pleasant Scent with an Unpleasant Ingredient: How Does the Brain Respond?

An fMRI study of a jasmine model mixed with indole found that pleasantness, unpleasantness, and intensity were represented differently across brain regions, even when the mixture felt pleasant overall.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

Why Indole Is Part of Jasmine Tea’s Floral Aroma

A study of jasmine-scented green tea examined how floral volatiles, including indole, are taken up, retained, and changed during repeated scenting and heating.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

How Do Compounds Released from Skin Wearing the Same Perfume Vary by Person and Time?

The same fragranced product was applied to eight people’s forearms and compound changes were analyzed over two hours, tracking early disappearance, persistence, and individual differences.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

Can Three Bacterial Species Reproduce the Smell of a Damp Cleaning Cloth?

Cotton supplemented with three bacterial species and bovine tallow reproduced wet-fabric malodor. The experimental model was used to analyze odor compounds and compare malodor development after washing.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

Can Receptors in the Nose Affect How a Smoky Odor Is Perceived?

A study broadly examined functional differences between olfactory receptor variants. Less responsive OR10G4 variants were associated with weaker, more pleasant guaiacol ratings, but not with the same pattern for vanillin compounds.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent

Liking Your Own Perfume Is Not the Same as Wanting Fragrance Around You

In a survey of 1,102 people in Germany, many who preferred fragrance-free products still used scent themselves. We explore overlaps in self-reported health effects and preferences for products and spaces.
2026.11.03
The Science of Scent
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