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The Science of Scent

The Science of Scent

Why Do We Quickly Draw Back from an Unpleasant Smell?

A 2021 study linked early olfactory-bulb responses to unpleasant odors with movement-related brain activity and separately measured rapid backward body sway.
The Science of Scent

Is a Stronger Green Scent More Pleasant? A Study of Leaf Alcohol

A study compared green-odor compounds, mixtures, and leaf alcohol concentrations. The lower concentration was more pleasant and produced a larger auditory P300 reduction.
The Science of Scent

Can Flower Images Help Us Notice a Fragrance as We Get Used to It?

Two experiments examined flower images, odor detection reports, and image-evoked brain responses during prolonged fragrance exposure and habituation.
The Science of Scent

Reading Distant Connections in a 3,500-Year-Old Aromatic Balm

Residues in Senetnay’s canopic jars revealed complex Egyptian embalming balms containing beeswax, fats, bitumen, and resins, with some botanical sources unresolved.
The Science of Scent

Bedroom Fragrance: Does a Pillow or a Diffuser Make a Difference?

A home study of 131 adults explored self-chosen fragrances and delivery methods. Subjective differences did not establish improvements in device-measured sleep.
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.
The Science of Scent

Can the Same Scent During Study and Sleep Help You Recall Vocabulary?

In a field study of 54 students, rose scent during learning and sleep was associated with fewer vocabulary-test errors. Extra cueing at testing remains uncertain.
The Science of Scent

Odor Molecules Can Change Inside the Nose

Human olfactory mucus captured odorants and chemically converted some of them. Perceptual and cell experiments explored the implications for smell and aging.
The Science of Scent

The Molecule Connecting Cannabis Odor and Light-Struck Beer

Trace prenylated sulfur compounds helped explain cannabis flowers’ skunk-like odor. The study combined chemical analysis, sensory testing, reconstruction, and growth and storage measurements.
The Science of Scent

Six Types of Lily Fragrance? The Compounds and Enzymes Behind 41 Cultivars

A study grouped 41 lily cultivars into six aroma types and investigated TPS genes in 66 cultivars. Enzymes from faint- and strong-scented lilies could produce the same three monoterpenes.