Smell is arguably the least understood sense, yet it has always been a
vital component of the human experience, and that of all living
creatures.
It has been used by plants and animals for millions of years to warn, to
attract, to identify, to navigate and even to mislead. Smelling to
Survive explains some of these fascinating processes, and explores how
the past would have smelt quite different to our ancestors, and how
future technologies will further change the world of scents.
Along the way, leading scientist Bill S. Hansson recounts amazing
stories from the world of olfactory research: from the tobacco plant
that excretes an alarm odour, to mosquitos that cherish the smell of
sweaty feet, to lilies that imitate the fragrance of a dead horse.
Hansson explains why scientists are interested in the smell that
surrounds teenage males, and how climate change affects the smell of our
environment. He describes research trips to Christmas Island, where
crabs with particularly keen noses crack coconuts on the beach, and
outlines studies that reveal how penguins recognize their partner by
their scent.
