Sharks Sense Prey in Surprising Ways During Pioneering Study
A team of scientists have unmasked the intricacies of how sharks hunt prey — from the first whiff to the final chomp —in a new … Read more
Olfaction
Humans can distinguish at least 1 trillion different odors
In a world perfumed by freshly popped popcorn and exhaust fumes, where sea breezes can mingle with the scents of sweet flowers or wet paint, … Read more
Fruit flies are relentless party crashers
That fruit fly joining you just moments after you poured that first glass of cabernet, has just used its poppy-seed-sized brain to conduct a finely-choreographed … Read more
Mosquito sperm have a sense of smell
Mosquito sperm have a “sense of smell.” This unexpected discovery is reported in an article published in the online early edition of the Proceedings of … Read more
Odor receptors discovered in lungs
Your nose is not the only organ in your body that can sense cigarette smoke wafting through the air. Scientists at Washington University in St. … Read more
Sniffing Out Danger: Fearful Memories Can Trigger Heightened Sense of Smell
Most people – including scientists – assumed we can’t just sniff out danger. It was thought that we become afraid of an odor – such … Read more
Swarming insect provides clues to how the brain processes smells
Our sense of smell is often the first response to environmental stimuli. Odors trigger neurons in the brain that alert us to take action. However, … Read more
Pheromones in tears of young mice tell older ones: Don’t mate with me
Nocturnal animals need their noses to stay alive. Mice, among others, depend on their impressive olfactory powers to sniff out food or avoid danger in … Read more
