Chapter 1
The brain's direct hotline
Chapter 2
The Proust effect and time travel
Chapter 3
The evolutionary survival guide
Chapter 4
Cultural landscapes of scent
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret power of the sniff
Ch 3 · The evolutionary survival guide
elorea The Evolutionary Survival Guide
A scent skips the detour to trigger what we feel, An ancient survival guide that makes a memory real.
elorea Graphics compare the nasal passages and receptor counts of humans, bloodhounds, and bears.
elorea Isometric glass and chrome models map the human olfactory system with precise labels.
Fun Fact
Space smell: Astronauts describe the smell of outer space as a mix of hot metal, seared steak, and welding fumes.
Quiz
Which mammal is estimated to have a sense of smell seven times stronger than a dog's?
Quiz
What is the name of the organ used by many animals to detect pheromones, which is non-functional in humans?
Quiz
According to research at the Weizmann Institute, what human fluid contains chemical cues that unconsciously affect empathy?
Quiz
Approximately how many active scent receptor genes do humans have compared to their total of 800?
Quiz
What did evolutionary biologists find humans traded their olfactory sharpness for over millions of years?
Quiz
How low of a concentration of hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg smell) can humans detect?