Part-Time Genius How Scientists Are Reviving Lost Smells
Nov 21, 2025
Curious about the scents of history? Discover how scientists are recreating ancient fragrances, from Cleopatra's perfume to Hawaii's extinct flowers. The hosts dive into the complexities of smell perception, the impact of pollution, and how urban odors shape our identities. They even explore unique projects like the Resurrecting the Sublime, which uses DNA to bring back lost floral scents. Plus, learn about digital scent technology and its potential to evoke memories in innovative ways!
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Olfaction Is Far More Complex Than Vision
- Human smell uses ~400 receptor types versus three for vision, making olfaction vastly more complex.
- Scientists still don't know which receptors recognize specific smells, limiting full decoding.
Smell Is Highly Individualized
- Genetic variants and pseudogenes create large individual differences in smell perception.
- Will and Mangesh note roughly 30% variation between what two people can smell.
Pollution Can Harm The Brain Via Smell Pathways
- Pollution can damage olfactory pathways by carrying particles through the olfactory bulb into the brain.
- Researchers found tiny metal particles in human brain tissue likely passed via the olfactory route.
