Smelling is one of the most natural things we do. We take over 20,000 breaths a day, interacting with a host of scents with each one. Smell is also one of our most sensitive and refined senses; only dogs surpass our ability to perceive scents in the animal kingdom. Yet, as the millions of people who lost their sense of smell during the COVID-19 pandemic can attest, we too often overlook its role in our overall health. Now, one of the world's leading researchers on smell Jonas Olofsson reveals the fascinating science behind this forgotten sense. Drawing from cutting-edge original research, Olofsson reveals not only that the human sense of smell is extraordinarily sensitive, but how it engages our brain's full capacity. In fact, olfaction begins not in the nose, but in the brain, even before an odor's molecules reach our smell receptors. Our memories, personalities, preferences, and expectations shape the way we interact with scents, with profound implications for how we perceive the world around us.
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