The Science of Scents

Let's face it- our sense of smell is often an overlooked, underappreciated sense. And although we may not have the same powerful ability as say, a bloodhound, it's still significant both evolutionarily speaking and in the modern day world. Science has found that our sense of smell, emotions and memories are strongly linked. While a survey of over 7,000 young people around the world showed that half of them would rather give up this important sense than lose access to technology like phones and laptops,* that would be an incredibly dreary existence with limited taste and fading memories. Below we explore the science behind this sensory underdog.

The Basic Mechanics of Smell

The technical name for sense of smell is 'olfaction.' In simple terms, odor molecules bind to olfactory receptors in the nasal cavity, initiating an electrical signal to the olfactory bulb and other areas of the brain that then process the information. The thalamus, a part of the brain that serves as a relay station for sensory input, transmits some information to the orbitofrontal cortex where it is integrated with taste information, creating the strong link between taste and smell. Ever wondered why food doesn't taste as good when you have a cold? It's because this integral pathway is compromised. The human nose contains about 450 different receptors, a small number compared to other animals like mice or dogs. Even with this limitation, scientists believe humans can detect up to a trillion different scents!

Evolutionary Importance

Now we use our sense of smell to decide which slice of pizza to order or what brand of perfume to buy, but historically our sense of smell played an important role in keeping the species alive. With it we identified food, potential mates, dangers and enemies. Our ancestors relied on smell to remember where they'd been and build mental maps of their surroundings. This evolutionary development explains the intimate connection between smell and memory and highlights how sense of smell enables us to interact with our environment in a big way.

The Memory Connection

The olfactory bulb is very close to two important brain structures: the amygdala, which is involved in generating emotions and the hippocampus, which stores and organizes memories. When our brains process scents, the information passes through these two areas and if the scent is associated with a strong emotion, the hippocampus files that memory for permanent storage. This is why years later, that particular smell can still evoke vivid memories. It also explains why studies have found that memories triggered by smell are often more emotional and extend farther back in a person's life than memories triggered by other senses.

Because of the strong emotional component, the psychological science of smell has gained attention. Our emotional states have a direct effect on our physical health so anything with a positive influence could be a useful tool. Research shows that stimulating personal memories through specific scents promotes deeper, slower breathing than more generic, but still pleasant, scents. This could contribute to lowered inflammation and better mental health.

Scents come in a dizzying variety of things, from a favorite Christmas candle to a delicious dinner to the smell of the air after a good rainfall. Each fragrance, both good and bad, can provoke a strong emotional connection and form a lasting memory. Not sure what kind of scents you actually like? From minty fresh to bright citrus, we have you covered. Make some new memories at our shop with our selection of delightfully fragrant items!

What is your favorite scent triggered memory? Let us know in the comments!

*McCann Worldgroup. Truth about youth. May 2011. https://micco.se/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/McCann-Worldgroup-Truth-About-Youth.pdf