EPISODE · Sep 10, 2025 · 49 MIN
The Science of Smell
from Pomodoro Breaks · host Panigrahi Nirma
This book explores the science of smell, challenging the long-held myth that it's a weak human sense. The author, a professor of psychology, discusses how olfaction shapes our experiences, emotions, memories, and behaviors, explaining how our brains interpret smells and how this differs from taste. The text also traces the historical underestimation of smell in science and culture, highlighting its critical roles in survival, social bonding, and even political manipulation, while noting how modern research, including that stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on smell, is finally revealing its true complexity and importance.
What this episode covers
This book explores the science of smell, challenging the long-held myth that it's a weak human sense. The author, a professor of psychology, discusses how olfaction shapes our experiences, emotions, memories, and behaviors, explaining how our brains interpret smells and how this differs from taste. The text also traces the historical underestimation of smell in science and culture, highlighting its critical roles in survival, social bonding, and even political manipulation, while noting how modern research, including that stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic's impact on smell, is finally revealing its true complexity and importance.
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The Science of Smell
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