What’s That Smell?

Your ability to smell freshly baked cookies or the dog poo on your shoe starts in your brain. But recent studies show how deftly our brains detect scents.

In a recent study published in Nature Human Behaviour, researchers created a device that would allow them to see how quickly humans can perceive odor changes. They found that our brains can detect odor shifts in milliseconds.

In another recent study published in Nature, scientists asked study participants to smell various odors, including banana and licorice, while recording the participants’ brain activity. Using AI, the researchers were able to identify an individual neuron in the brain’s amygdala that increased firing in response to the image or smell of a banana. A neuron in a different part of the brain increased firing in response to the image or scent of licorice. Other neurons in the amygdala respond to smells we like and light up less frequently to smells we wrinkle our noses at.

All creation displays God’s handiwork, down to the neuron that responds to the banana you peel for breakfast. The world overflows with fragrances and odors that tell us information, create strong memories, and make the world a more vivid place. God’s creative genius in our brains allows us to enjoy his good gifts—and avoid the smellier ones.