Smell: The Cinderella Sense
Setup
Aromas can trigger memories more forcefully than any other sense. The ability to smell allows us to enjoy nature’s riches, protects us from food gone bad, warns of gas leaks, and provides the perfume of intimacy. It is also the primary communication tool that animals use in the wild. Yet the superpower of smell has historically been under appreciated, the sense people generally say they are most willing to lose, if given a choice. Learn what neurobiology and the COVID-19 pandemic are teaching us about the critical importance of smell, through the lens of people who know first-hand what it is like to live without it.
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Science
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