What the Nose Knows

By Avery Gilbert,

Book cover of What the Nose Knows: The Science of Scent in Everyday Life

Book description

Everything about the sense of smell fascinates us, from its power to evoke memories to its ability to change our moods and influence our behavior. Yet because it is the least understood of the senses, myths abound. For example, contrary to popular belief, the human nose is almost as sensitive…

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Why read it?

1 author picked What the Nose Knows as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

This is also a book about what the nose doesn’t know, dispelling myths as well as digging into what scientists actually know in words non-scientists can understand. It is interesting to learn that blind people do not have enhanced powers of smell. It is positively illuminating to read, “Odors are perceptions, not things in the world. The fact that a molecule of phenylethyl alcohol smells like a rose is a function of our brain, not a property of the molecule.”

From Stan's list on about aroma and flavor.

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