All About The Sense of Smell

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The Nose Knows

Smell-o-logy is all about the sense of smell and how your nose works. Have you ever considered what happens in your brain when you smell something pleasant or something absolutely 'dog poo' stinky? Besides your initial reaction of joy or complete disdain, there is a wild and wonderful process going on behind the scenes.

Here we go....  

How It All Works 

by Gloria Rodriguez-Gil, M.Ed.,

Like the sense of taste, it's a chemical sense. They are called chemical senses because they detect chemicals in the environment, with the difference being that smell works at dramatically larger distances than that of taste. The process of smelling goes more or less like this:

1. Vaporized odor molecules (chemicals) floating in the air reach the nostrils and dissolve in the mucus (which is on the roof of each nostril).

2. Underneath the mucus, in the olfactory epithelium, specialized receptor cells called olfactory receptor neurons detect the odor. These neurons are capable of detecting thousands of different odors.

3. The olfactory receptor neurons transmit the information to the olfactory bulbs, which are located at the back of the nose.

4. The olfactory bulbs has sensory receptors that are actually part of the brain which send messages directly to:
* The most primitive brain centers where they
influence emotions and memories (limbic system
structures), and
* "Higher" centers where they modify conscious
thought (neo-cortex).

5. These brain centers perceive odors and access memories to remind us about people, places, or events associated with these olfactory sensations.

The Sense of Smell 

Gateways to the Mind

The ability to smell is described by Dr. Frank Baxter in this episode from the Bell Science Series.

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Olfactory Facts 

Enjoying the smell of a flower

  • Our sense of smell can influence mood, physical well-being, memory, emotions, sexual desire, our hormones, and our immune system.

  • As humans we can distinguish over 10,000 different and distinctive smells.

  • It is important to understand that throughout every day and night of our lives we smell a wide variety of odors without being aware of them at all.

  • Smell, taste and a myriad of receptors contribute to distinguishing flavor.

  • Your sense of smell is least acute in the morning; our ability to perceive odors increases as the day wears on.

  • A woman's sense of smell is keener than a man's.

  • Your nose can smell directionally, telling you where an odor originates.

Smell  

Part 2 of 5 of Hybrid Film's "Sense"

Smell is the second short film in the anthology "Sense" by Hybrid Films. The anthology is comprised of 5 short films, each exploring one of the five senses. This film explores the memory recall associated with the sense of smell.

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What Does Olfactions Mean? 

A Wikipedia article

Nose Smelling Odors
Olfaction (also known as olfactics or smell) refers to the sense of smell. This sense is mediated by specialized sensory cells of the nasal cavity of vertebrates, and, by analogy, sensory cells of the antennae of invertebrates. For air-breathing animals, the olfactory system detects volatile or, in the case of the accessory olfactory system, fluid-phase chemicals. For water-dwelling organisms, e.g., fish or crustaceans, the chemicals are present in the surrounding aqueous medium. Olfaction, along with taste, is a form of chemoreception. The chemicals themselves which activate the olfactory system, generally at very low concentrations, are called odors.

read the rest of the Wikipedia article

7 Receptors of Smell 

How the Body Works

Seven primary odors may exist from which all other smells are derived. Classification of these primary odors is difficult since its is extremely hard to achieve objective testing.

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About The Basic Smells 

Read this informative article

I like the smell of morning coffee


Floral...Minty...Musky...Pungent...Camphorous...Ethereal...Putrid


These are the seven smells suggested by the researcher John Amoore in 1952, when he also outlined his "lock and key" theory of how smells work. But it is far from certain that these are the fundamental scents -- some researchers believe there are many more. General Psychology: The Senses

Quoteables

Smell Mentioned in Quotes 

Smell is a potent wizard that transports you across thousands of miles and all the years you have lived.
~Helen Keller

The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water is indescribable in its evocations of innocence and delight.
~MFK Fisher

Get excited and enthusiastic about you own dream. This excitement is like a forest fire -- you can smell it, taste it, and see it from a mile away.
~Denis Waitley

My theory on housework is, if the item doesn't multiply, smell, catch on fire or block the refrigerator door, let it be. No one cares. Why should you?
~Erma Bombeck

Money is like manure. You have to spread it around or it smells.
~J Paul Getty

What Are Sinuses? 

by Dr. Joseph B. Jacobs

Picture of SinusesI am venturing a guess that we all know what happens when our sinuses are clogged or running uncontrollably! Medical jargon aside, this is a good article to review.

Sinuses are air pockets that are located within the bones of the skull and face and are connected to your nasal passages by small tubes or channels, the osteomeatal channels. These channels permit air to flow from the nose into the sinuses and allow drainage of mucous from each sinus into the nose.
Read the rest of the article

What Is Your Favorite Smell? 

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Smelling Disorders 

from Wikipedia.org

Anosmia - lack of ability to smell

Hyposmia - decreased ability to smell

Phantosmia - "hallucinated smell", often unpleasant in nature

Dysosmia - things smell differently than they should

Hyperosmia - an abnormally acute sense of smell

Greetings! 


Would love to hear your 'smelly' stories :)

Lensmaster

sittonbull wrote...

There's no argument here... I'm convinced the nose knows! I'm ecstatically thankful to trend toward the hyperosmia condition because there are sooo many more wonderfully pleasant and interesting and delicious smells to enjoy than there are unpleasant one to avoid. Dr. Baxter and I are on the same page with the sense of smell being the gateway to the mind. Study of the senses is always fascinating and rewarding so thanks for a great lens that advances my appreciation of the sense of smell. BTW it really made my day to have your visit and nice comment on my Inspiration lens... so thank you Correen!

ReplyPosted June 30, 2009

Lensmaster

sara08852 wrote...

I am more of an hyperosmia person. I've never used that word before. You just taught me. Very interesting lens, great read!
Sara

ReplyPosted February 13, 2009

Lensmaster

Mortira wrote...

A very interesting topic! Who knew there was so much to know about the nose?

ReplyPosted November 24, 2008

Lensmaster

TheNewGreenWayToHealthyLiving wrote...

Cool lens! Like the break down of the nose, it is a wonderful thing that God has created for us!! I gave you 5 stars and added as a favorite! Check out my lens!

ReplyPosted July 04, 2008

Lensmaster

titanium_knights wrote...

Very creative and well put together lens! Love the funny photo!

ReplyPosted June 10, 2008

 
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