The Science of Scent Can Scent Words Map How We Perceive Smells?
A study of 76 people who categorized Mandarin odor terms and actual smells. We explore where groupings of words and sensory experiences overlap, and where they differ.
The Science of Scent
The Science of Scent 
The Science of Scent Can Body Odor Change Sensitivity to Other Smells?
Does exposure to sweat collected during dental treatment change sensitivity to another odor? We explore an experiment with 36 people alongside analyses of the sweat's smell and chemical constituents.
The Science of Scent Is Scent-Induced Relaxation Just One Feeling?
A study developed a 12-item questionnaire to measure relaxation from scent. We explore why it captures nostalgia alongside feelings of release and negative emotions.
The Science of Scent Do Names Make Scent Categories Easier to Learn?
Would temporary names make scent differences and pairings easier to remember? In a four-day study, 80 Chinese–English bilinguals learned odor categories with meaningless new words, with results that could not be explained by how familiar the names sounded alone.
The Science of Scent Can Flowers Lose Their Scent While Retaining Their Genes?
Does the evolution of weaker floral scent occur through the loss of scent-producing genes? A comparison of 30 Costus species suggests that flowers pollinated by hummingbirds may retain the genes while reducing their activity.
The Science of Scent Do Rose Petals and Stamens Give Off the Same Scent?
Comparing a wild rose’s petals, stamens, and pistils reveals differences in prominent scent compounds. This study also explores spatial and temporal changes through gene activity.
The Science of Scent How Does Jasmine Scent Change as Flowers Open?
A study compares volatile compounds and gene activity across flowering stages in a multi-petaled jasmine, exploring candidate contributors to its fragrance and the mechanisms behind them.
The Science of Scent Do Small RNAs Regulate Floral Scent?
A study in white-flowered Hedychium examines small RNAs that regulate scent production, introducing mechanisms that connect them to plant hormones and biosynthetic enzymes.
The Science of Scent Do Yellow Flowers Bring Bees Back?
What changes when yellow lines arise in red flowers pollinated by hummingbirds? A study of two Mimulus species found changes not only in color but also in scent and shape. Bees visited yellow flowers more often, but the fit between bee and flower was still incomplete.
The Science of Scent Do Different Grapevines Have Different Floral Scents?
Muscadine grapes include cultivars bearing female flowers and others bearing hermaphroditic flowers with both stamens and pistils. A study of 16 genotypes found differences in compounds extracted from their flowers. Together with hand-pollination results, the findings were used to consider how flower shape, scent, and pollen rewards relate to pollination.