Our Sense of Smell

[SassySnivy]

While not as strong as other animals', I'd like to argue that our sense of smell is one of the most powerful senses we have. Certain smells can trigger really strong flashbacks and really vivid memories that we may have pushed to the recesses of our minds. The olfactory bulb, the part of our brain that is responsible for processing smell, is also quite closely connected to our amygdala and hippocampus, which are areas in our brain that are responsible for emotion and memory. These areas of the brain are connected in ways that our temporal and visual processors are not.

Yet sadly, it's a sense that a lot of us take for granted and overlook. We learn how to appreciate what we can see, hear, and taste, but when it comes to scent, that's a totally different playing field.

So my question to you is: are there certain smells that trigger very strong emotions? Flashbacks, maybe? For instance, a big one is how the smell of chlorine triggers a myriad of summertime memories.
Also, where you live, what does the air smell like?

I live in a very wooded area with lots of green and plantlife, so you get a plethora of different smells here depending on where you stand. While we have mostly deciduous trees, we have lots of coniferous trees, too. And if you live around conifers, you probably know that a lot of them emit this amazing smell that smells sharp, sweet, and even a little bit musky. I'm not sure exactly what kind of conifer trees we mostly get around here, though I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say cedar. (Oh geez, no pun intended I SWEAR)

During early spring we have a few lilac bushes, so if you go within just a few feet of them they smell amazing. <3 Same with Japanese Honeysuckle flowers--which are everywhere--during the early summer. Except with honeysuckle, you can smell them from almost a mile away. They have a much less clean smell than lilacs do and are more musky, but they're so sweet.
Then during mid to late summer, you get the mimosa trees. I don't even know WHERE to start with describing the smell of these flowers. They're sweet, but they have this kick to them that also makes them smell a bit like spice. It's definitely a smell that gets your attention.

When someone is burning wood or brush, the smell lingers and travels for miles and you can usually pick up just a hint of burning wood in the air if you pay attention.

Hmm, what else? There's the smell of fresh grass, too, especially if someone's mowed their yard. In general, all the plantlife around here make the summer air really sticky, but also it smells awesome. xD

Again, our sense of smell is something we tend to overlook, therefore we really don't discuss it much. xD Our sense of smell is not as powerful as that of other animals (most notably, dogs), but it IS still very strong if you know how to use it.

[Pokemon Trainer Sarah]

Smell is definitely the easiest sense to forget about. And I know if I had to give up one sense it would probably be smell (although that would affect taste but yeah xD).

I've read some interesting stuff about how smell can be linked to memories. Even going so far as to people smelling certain things while studying to help them remember things for exams!

I'm not really sure what it smells like where I live because I'm too used to it to smell anything! But in Spring there are always lots of flower smells about as it's quite a bushy area. Freshly cut grass is always around. And in winter lots of people have open fires and I do love the smell of the burning wood, which brings back a lot of childhood memories. :D

Then there is still like the perfume my mum always wears on special occasions, which gives me some kind of odd flashback of all the occasions in the past xD It's amazing how the brain works!

[Corey]

I've read some interesting stuff about how smell can be linked to memories. Even going so far as to people smelling certain things while studying to help them remember things for exams!

I cry when studying, so when I start bawling when taking a test, it helps me do better because of the scent of my tears! :D

But really, I think olfaction, for me, anyway, is the most powerful sense. You can really tell a lot from someone's scent. I'd rather not get into the ongoing debate regarding human pheromones, but it's quite possible that we emit sexually arousing smells through our excretions. One study took sweat and urine from humans (mostly men) and exposed it to pigs, who became sexually stimulated by the odor. Similarly, when I was doing research for a paper regarding homosexuality, I stumbled upon a study that showed that a testosterone derivative produced in men's sweat invoked a hypothalamic response in gay men and straight women. Conversely, an estrogen-like compound found in women's urine caused a similar response in straight men and lesbian women (compared to normal scents, which activate smell-related areas of the brain). The hypothalamus has been linked to sexuality and hormones, which suggests that these two derivatives, which have long been suggested to be pheromones, could actually be human pheromones. But the evidence regarding human pheromones, whether they exist or not, is limited, and it's a rather controversial topic among scientists.

Scientific data aside, I think smell is pretty important in regards to sex. I mean, I'm guilty of getting a whiff of a cute guy that walks by. :3 I would say I'm more attracted to a guy that smells good. I think a li'l bit of musk is kinda hot, too. If he smells good, there's a 95% chance that I've just fallen deeply in love with him and have already planned our entire life together within those two seconds (he dies first, I mourn for a week, and then die of a heart attack brought on by the stress of a broken heart - it's pretty romantic).

[Caite-chan]

@Corey OMG I know that feeling. While working at Subway and now Rio Wraps I always take notice more when a guy smells really good. I'm like Ooooooooo you smell good. xDD

My favorite smell is a bonfire/campfire. I love it, love it, love it. :D

I believe that while you are in the stages of death your sense of smell is the last thing to go.

[Dragon Master Mike]

I have about a million smells that make me think of memories. I honestly can't even name them all. Through all of fourth and fifth grade, there was this hand sanitizer that I used, and I honestly can't even remember what it smelt like anymore, but even to this day when I smell that scent I'll immediately think about that time. When I was younger, we used to have a vacation house in the pochonos, and whenever I smell an oddly specific type of minty smell, it makes me think of that area. Same for certain other smells.

Some songs have a similar effect on me too, but not going to get too off topic.