The Science of Scent

Does Vanilla Smell Different Depending on Where and How It Is Cured?

Even within a recognizably vanilla aroma, there are different expressions of fruit, rum, and wood. A study in which 62 people smelled pods from four regions of Mexico explores the relationships between traditional processing, aroma preferences, and the condition of the pods.

2026.10.27

The Science of Scent

Can Your Sister Choose a Perfume That Suits You?

Can someone close to you also choose a perfume that suits you? A study separately comparing men’s own choices with those of partners and sisters explores combinations with body odor and what it means to know the wearer.

2026.10.26

The Science of Scent

Why Do Refrigerated Tomatoes Lose Aroma? Changes Inside the Fruit

A 2016 study traced aroma loss in ripe tomatoes to altered volatile production, gene expression, and DNA methylation, and helps explain why storage conditions matter.

2026.10.26

The Science of Scent

Does Coffee Bean Storage Temperature Change the Aroma in the Cup?

A study stored opened coffee beans at 5°C and 20°C for one month, then compared their compounds and the sensory qualities of the brews. The effects of cool storage did not appear in the same way in cold brew and espresso.

2026.10.24

The Science of Scent

Can the Smell of Food Increase How Much We Actually Eat?

A study in which 32 people experienced four food odors and an odorless condition. We explore the increased food intake with chocolate odor and the differing results for appetite and saliva.

2026.10.23

The Science of Scent

When You Hear “Natural Scent,” What Smells and Colors Come to Mind?

Fresh and light, but not expected to be almost odorless. A survey in France and the United States helps us explore the smells and colors people associate with naturalness.

2026.10.23

The Science of Scent

Does Knowing a Scent Is “Natural” Make You Like It More?

If you heard that a scent you liked was “made from natural ingredients,” would you like it even more? Conversely, would your impression of it become less favorable if you heard that it was “made using biocatalysis or biotechnology”?

2026.10.23

The Science of Scent

Does a Flower Smell Different Inside and Out?

Fruit-like compounds outside a tubular flower, and different floral compounds inside: even within the same flower, scent varied with location, day and night, and reproductive stage. Examining color and secretions at the entrance as well reveals multiple cues that could attract flies and guide them into the flower.

2026.10.23

The Science of Scent

Which Flies Carry Pollen from Foul-Smelling Flowers?

A small flower growing among rocks in South Africa was supported by flies that had scarcely been known as pollinators. A dung-like odor and just a little nectar: investigating how pollen is carried reveals a complex relationship in which even an unpleasant-smelling flower attracts its partners and encourages them to stay.

2026.10.23

The Science of Scent

How Is Floral Scent Diversity Related to Insects and Bacteria?

A study of Alpine flowers compared the chemical diversity of their scents with the variety of insects and bacteria associated with them. It introduces a hypothesis linking the welcoming of visitors with selective microbial establishment.

2026.10.23

The Science of Scent