Curiosities about smell and smells
A somewhat forgotten sense
When we eat any food we can taste it thanks to the smell , because its flavor is determined by its smell in almost 90% of cases. Having the flu, for example, and covering your nose, we can corroborate that the food does not taste like anything: we do not find the taste of soup or stew or pizza.
If we have no sense of smell, we will not have a sense of taste either, for language can only perceive the salty, the sweet, the acid and the bitter; the other nuances are the smell.
What is the smell?
It is difficult to answer, because some substances have stronger smells than others. Of course, basically it is to perceive by smell, to smell. For this, the substances that we perceive must be gaseous, greasy or soluble in water; and our sensitivity varies for each substance .
This sensitivity is expressed with the threshold value, which represents the minimum concentration of a substance that can be detected by half of people present in a certain place. An example? A substance such as chloroform is detected with only 130 molecules in a million molecules of air; chlorophenols with 3 in a hundred trillion molecules of air (chlorophenols are a type of substance that is produced when chlorine is added to phenol, is used mainly in pesticides and antiseptics, and also to whiten the wood pulp when making paper It is super polluting).
What is the use of smell?
For many things: it is determinant in sexual attraction (when talking about chemistry between two people, in reality what is referred to is the "compatibility of odors" or taste for the smell of a certain person). But it is something unconscious, because this smell can not be detected.
Interestingly, sweat and urine (that's right, urine!) Play a major role when two people like each other, but it is only possible when these smells are barely detectable; Both sweat and urine contain hormones that trigger the attraction or repulsion of the sexes. Many times these types of odor are added to perfumes to recreate that attraction.
It also helps us detect when a food is spoiled or rotten, or when there are toxic substances present.
The consumer industry often uses scents to make us buy; an example of this is certain supermarkets that place bread ovens.
Also, the smell can change our mood. In Japan , for example, there are some office buildings that release fresh odors in the air conditioning in the morning so that employees have a better mood and are more productive. The smell is essential for a pleasant environment.
On the negative side, a bad smell can sometimes cause headaches, nausea, decreased appetite, increased stress or disturbed sleep. And, of course, loss of customers if it is a store that smells bad.
Sense exacerbated
You will have heard about the novel Perfume , which was taken to the movies a few years ago. The protagonist had a super-developed sense of smell, but instead had no body odor. Obviously it is fiction, but certainly there are people who smell more than others what is around them.
We must develop this sense. A good exercise is to try to describe the smells that surround us daily and pay attention to them. In addition to refining our sense of smell, we will learn to enjoy each moment and improve our memory.
And what do you think? Are you one of the people who barely smell or, on the contrary, detect even the smallest whiff? Share your experiences constructively.