DiscoverScience on Player FMWhy smell is our most underrated sense - Instant Genius
Why smell is our most underrated sense - Instant Genius

Why smell is our most underrated sense - Instant Genius

Update: 2025-01-10
Share

Description

It’s commonly thought that when compared to other members of the animal kingdom we humans have a particularly poor sense of smell. But this couldn’t be further from the truth. Modern research has proven that human beings are surprisingly sophisticated sniffers, at least on par with the vast majority of other animals.


In this episode, we catch up with Prof Jonas Olofsson, a psychologist based at Stockholm University, to talk about his latest book The Forgotten Sense – The New Science of Smell.


He explains what happens when odour molecules enter our nasal passages and are processed by our brains, tells us how our sense of smell is intimately linked to our memories and emotions and answers the question that has been debated across countless dinner tables all over the world: can some people really identify wines just by smelling them?

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comments 
In Channel
loading
00:00
00:00
1.0x

0.5x

0.8x

1.0x

1.25x

1.5x

2.0x

3.0x

Sleep Timer

Off

End of Episode

5 Minutes

10 Minutes

15 Minutes

30 Minutes

45 Minutes

60 Minutes

120 Minutes

Why smell is our most underrated sense - Instant Genius

Why smell is our most underrated sense - Instant Genius