Perfume makers seek natural, sustainable scents

In 1921, perfumer Ernest Beaux discovered that adding synthetic aldehydes to natural rose and jasmine scents produced just the right fragrance combination for the iconic CHANEL No. 5 perfume. Today, perfume makers have more ...

Doggy diagnosis can sniff out seizures: study

Dogs can use their remarkable sense of smell to recognise the specific scent of seizures, researchers said Thursday, raising hope that canine carers could one day protect sufferers before a fit takes hold.

Male crickets use female scent to rate fertility prospects

A new study by researchers at The University of Western Australia has found that male insects are able to use female scent to assess not only how many eggs she will produce but also the egg-laying potential of their daughters.

Giving marsupials scents from suitors helps breeding programs

Smell is a vital part of sexual attraction for all kinds of animals (including humans). We may be able to use smell to improve breeding programs by giving the female animal a sample sniff of potential mates and letting her ...

Why you can smell rain

When those first fat drops of summer rain fall to the hot, dry ground, have you ever noticed a distinctive odor? I have childhood memories of family members who were farmers describing how they could always "smell rain" right ...

Those fragrances you enjoy? Dinosaurs liked them first

The compounds behind the perfumes and colognes you enjoy have been eliciting olfactory excitement since dinosaurs walked the Earth amid the first appearance of flowering plants, new research reveals.

Lemurs can smell weakness in each other

Some people watch the competition carefully for the slightest signs of weakness. Lemurs, on the other hand, just give them a sniff.

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