Root

The Science of Scent

How Does Information About Liking or Disliking an Odor Travel Through the Brain?

Does information about liking or disliking an odor travel only one way, from the nose to the brain? A study of electrical activity in the olfactory bulb and piriform cortex examines rapid responses and the pleasantness-related information that subsequently returns.
The Science of Scent

Can Imagining a Scent Bring Back Memories?

In an experiment with 296 women, imagining smells brought personal memories to many participants. The study explores differences in pleasantness, memory age, and vividness.
The Science of Scent

Do Lavender and Peppermint Reduce Missed Targets?

Does scent affect whether we miss the second of two rapidly appearing numbers? Three experiments analyzing 112 people found no lavender–peppermint difference, while examining presentation methods and personal associations.
The Science of Scent

Can Smell Training Change What Children Notice?

Identifying an odor and paying attention to everyday smells are not the same thing. A 12-week preliminary study of children aged 6–9 measured both. We examine the possible increase in awareness with scented training and what remains unconfirmed.
The Science of Scent

Can Odors Serve as Landmarks for Remembering a Route?

Fifty-two people learned a virtual maze using pictures or odors as landmarks and were tested immediately and one month later. The study examined memory for route decisions separately from recognition of the landmarks themselves.
The Science of Scent

Does Sensitivity to Odors Change Between Morning and Evening?

When 56 adults were tested four times from morning to evening, their mean scores for detecting faint odors changed. We examine how this relates to nasal airflow and morning or evening chronotypes.
The Science of Scent

Do Children’s Scent Experiences Appear in Their Drawings?

Twenty-eight children explored a scented Three Little Pigs exhibition. Their drawings and pointing responses reveal the challenges of combining color, story, and smell.
The Science of Scent

Can Scent Change What We Judge to Be Gray?

An experiment in which 24 people adjusted an on-screen color to an achromatic point found small odor-related biases. We distinguish the color settings they selected from how those colors appeared.
The Science of Scent

Does the Brain Respond Differently When You Keep Smelling the Same Odor?

After 30 seconds of exposure to the same odor, perceived intensity and early brain responses changed. An experiment with 13 participants explores the relationship between odor habituation and early processing.
The Science of Scent

Does Hearing Experience Affect How We Perceive Odors?

A comparison of 11 people with congenital severe-to-profound hearing loss and 11 hearing participants explores sensory adaptation through smell tests and tasks involving stimulation inside the nose.