Nose in the News

08/19/10 Evolution Surprise: Bacterica Have "Noses," Can Smell
National Geographic reports that researchers at Newcastle University in the UK have found that two species of bacteria could detect the scent of airborne ammonia. The discovery means that bacteria use four of the five senses (smell, sight, taste and touch).
08/19/10 Cambridge University links love and smell in mandrills
According to BBC News, Cambridge University Researchers have discovered that Mandrill monkeys use scent to avoid the potentially genetic disaster of mating with partners too closely related. This supports other research in human that shows that women prefer the odor of genetically different men.
07/29/10 Sense of Smell Discovered in Bowhead Whales
A story in BBC's Earth News online newsletter reports that scientists have recently discovered bowhead whales do, indeed have a sense of smell. Earth News reports, "The whales' sense of smell was revealed when scientists dissected their bodies and found olfactory hardware linking the brain and nose, and functional protein receptors required to smell. Previously, whales and dolphins were thought to lack the ability."
07/29/10 Anosmia: The Quiet Killer
In this posting on the Huffington Post blog, Bonnie Blodgett, author of the recently published book, "Remembering Smell" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, June 2010), describes her trials and tribulations in dealing with anosmia.
07/28/10 Zinc Nasal Gels May Cause Smell Loss
The New York Times reports that, a new study done by Terence Davidson, director of the nasal dysfunction clinic at the University of California, San Diego, confirms earlier research that prompted the Food and Drug Administration to issue a warning last year against using cold remedies in nasal gel form that contained zinc as it appears the application of zinc directly to sensitive nasal tissues may result in a diminished ability to smell.
01/27/10 Sniffing Out Lung Cancer at Early Stages
Researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia have found that the smell of certain body fluid odors can be used to identify animals with lung cancer tumors. The findings set the stage for studies to identify potential diagnostic biomarkers in the urine of human beings.
12/04/09 Do 'Clean' Smells Encourage Clean Behavior?
A recent study published in Psychological Sciences and report on Time.com indicates reveals that 'clean' scents can have a positive effect on 'clean' behavior. Two experiments in the study deomonstrated that clean scents (citrus was used in the experiments) motivated clean behavior, promoted virtuous behavior by increasing the tendancy to reciprocate trust and also to offer to make charitable donations.
12/01/09 Aromatherapy for the Holidays
This is Rachel Herz' latest entry in "Smell Life", her monthly blog for Psychology Today. She describes how and why our associations with certain scents can enhance our holiday experiences and help us to relax at this hectic time of year.
10/22/09 Communicating with Children Using Smells
A school in the UK has started using scents as an innovative way to communicate with children who have multisensory impairments.
02/09/09 Opera to Sniff At: A Score Offers Uncommon Scents
A totally unique and innovative multi-sensory performance took place at the Guggenheim Museum in New York this weekend. The limited run, 30-minute, Scent Opera entitled, "Green Aria" was the result of an unusual collaboration between producers, writers, musicians and a perfumer.
04/08/08 Electronic nose could spark end of sniffer dogs
A report published on CNN.com describes the work of Yushan Yan, a chemical and engineering professor at the University of California, Riverside. Yan and his team have developed an electronic nose that will be able to identify tiny amounts of explosives. The device can be used in high-rish areas such as airports, shipping terminals, etc. Says Yan, "unlike its animal counterpart, the devise won't get tired, need bathroom breaks or require food and water."
01/05/08 Depression in Females Linked to Sense of Smell
Medical News Today.com reports on scientific study done by Professor Yehuda Shoenfeld at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine at Tel Aviv University that found women who are depressed have a diminished sense of smell and "may overcompensate by using more perfume."
11/17/07 Watch it, Tom! Experts find fearless Jerries
Reuters reports on a recent study by Japanese researchers who found that fear may be linked to the sense of smell and can be switched off by shutting down certain receptors in the brain. In the study, scientists removed certain odor receptions from the olfactory bulbs in the brains of mice resulting in fearless rodents who willingly cuddled up to their cat predators.
08/14/07 Sniff Test May Signal Disorders' Early Stages
The New York Times reports scientists at the University of Cincinnati have developed a new Sniff Magnitude Test that is described as "the only test that measures patients' ability to smell without requiring them to put the sensation into words..." This is a very promising invention since the loss of the ability to detect and identify smells is an early warning symptom of the onset of diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.
04/30/07 Brain Processes Sense of Smell Better than Previously Thought
Science Daily.com reports study conducted at University of Chicago by Leslie Kay and Jennifer Beshel demonstrated that brains have the ability to adjust automatically to distinguishing small diffrences in smell. The article notes "The research demonstrates the importance of smell as a means for people to gather information from their environment."
04/30/07 Nasal 'Death' Molecules May Kill Sense of Smell
New Scientist.com news service report on study done by Dr. Robert Henkin at the Washington DC Taste and Smell Clinic found that people who have no sense of smell tend to have an overabundance of cell-killing molecules in their nasal mucous.
02/09/07 Smell May Outlast Other Senses
A report on ScienceDaily.com reveals that new research suggests the sense of smell may deteriorate much slower that the other senses with aging in otherwise healthy individuals, who don't smoke, take medications or hae a history of nasal problems.
12/18/06 Sense of Smell 'Underestimated'
BBC News report of study done by researchers at University of California in Berkeley, CA that found humans have a keener sense of smell than was previously thought.
01/17/06 Dogs Excel on Smell Test to Find Cancer
The New York Times reports that researchers at a little-known research clinic in Northern California have released results from a recent study showing that trained dogs, using their extraordinary canine sense of smell, have an uncanny ability to detect lung cancer in the breath of sufferers with a 99% accuracy, and breast cancer with 88% accuracy. Independent researchers who have reviewed the study have been unable to find any flaws in the methodology. Nevertheless, the results will have to be replicated before any further actions can be taken.
08/08/05 The Nose, An Emotional Time Machine
N.Y. Times science reporter, Natalie Angier recaps recent olfactory research presented at the 2008 International Symposium on Olfaction and Taste. In particular, she discusses the taste/smell connection as well as the particularly strong emotional quality of memories elicited by odor cues.
06/01/05 New Study Shows Scent Can Reduce Road Rage
CBS News (June 23, 2005) reports a recent study conducted by Bryan Raudenbush, PhD at Wheeling Jesuit University revealed that drivers demonstrated a reduced level of anger along with improved alertness and overall driving performance when exposed to the scents of pine and strawberry. The study was conducted using a car simulator, exposing participants to pine and strawberry scents, while monitoring driving tendencies such as speed, lane changes and reaction time. A control group in an unscented environment was also monitored. AroMetrics™, the company that funded the study, also surveyed over 2,000 adults as part of the study. 62% of the respondents indicated they purchased car air fresheners to “create a nice environment” and four of every five respondents agreed with the statement, “When my car smells good I feel better.” The results of this study are consistent with previous independent research in olfaction and aroma-chology, some which was funded by the Sense of Smell Institute that has consistently demonstrated pleasant scents can elevate mood, enhance quality of life, and improve performance. So with the rate of accidents caused by road rage and people falling asleep at the wheel on the rise, the solution may be a simple sniff away!
05/10/05 For Gay Men, Different Scent of Attraction
An article in The New York Times reports on a study done by a team of Swedish researchers that used a brain imaging technique to explore how homosexual and heterosexual men respond differently to odors (pheromones) that may be involved in sexual arousal. They found that gay men respond in the same way as women to these chemicals, which are produced by individuals. This research may open the way to studying human pheromones, as well as the biological basis of sexual preference.
11/30/99 Depression Dampens Sense of Smell
New findings, reported by "The Times of India," indicate that subjects studied who suffered from depression, has smaller olfactory bulbs than those who didn't suffer from depression. The study was conducted by Dr. Thomas Hummel and his team at the University of Dresden Medical School in Germany.

If you would like to see research information on a topic that is not included on our site, please let us know so that we can direct future efforts appropriately.  Just send an e-mail to tmolnar@senseofsmell.org.
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