For the first time, researchers have determined how a human olfactory receptor captures an airborne scent molecule, the pivotal chemical event that triggers our sense of smell. Whether it evokes roses ...

It’s clear that genes, receptors and neurons all play a role in detecting odors. But much of how we make sense of what we sniff remains mysterious. A neuroscientist explains. By Daniela Hirschfeld / ...

Most of us take our senses for granted, at least until one of them stops working. But despite the usefulness of smell, sight, touch and the other senses, they took millions of years to work themselves ...

Our noses can effortlessly distinguish the aroma of coffee from the tang of gasoline, yet how they do it has long been a mystery. In a study that appears Oct. 30 in Nature, scientists at Duke ...

Humans have about 400 odorant receptors (ORs), but scientists have had trouble finding ligands that match up with most of these ORs in lab settings—leaving them with a murky understanding of how ...

Some research suggests that “olfactory training” — practicing to improve your olfaction, or sense of smell — can actually improve your cognitive abilities. So in the interest of self-improvement, I ...

Many animals, mammals included, are heavily reliant on their sense of smell in dealing with the world. Yet people often assume that this is not the case with humans. Indeed, research on how smell ...