5 Fascinating Facts About Our Sense Of Smell

You smell! Yes, you really do… and no, we’re not being insulting. It’s a fact that each of us has an individual odor.

It's the reason we can smell our partner on a worn piece of clothing, or why we intuitively inhale so deeply when embracing a loved one.

Let’s delve into the mysterious world of aromas, and discover some stranger than fiction reasons why your sense of smell plays such a massive part in the oh-so odorous world in which we live.

Smell is as old as life itself

We unwittingly detect the chemical composition of our environment through both smell and taste. It’s a built-in safety mechanism that allows us to smell danger (think smoke, gas, etc.) before our conscious mind has a chance to catch up. Even single-cell organisms possess these skills.

You can smell fear and disgust

When a person experiences a strong negative emotion certain chemicals are emitted in their sweat. This is picked up by others around them who often mirror these emotions. In other words, fear really is contagious…

There are at least 1 trillion different smells

Up until recently, it was thought we could only differentiate between around 10,000 smells. But the latest scientific research from Rockefeller University, NYC, put that fallacy firmly to bed, proving that the human sense of smell can detect way more than previously thought. 

The best smells are those that trigger memories, excite you, and comfort you. It also helps when they're fresh and natural, like all Hotel Collection Fragrance Oil Blends, that pair oh so perfectly with our Diffusers. 

Think that’s a lot? We ain’t got nothing on our furry friends

Humans have around 5 to 6 million cells dedicated to odor detection. But dogs have 220 million! Your dog is literally ruled by his nose, and that is the reason why they spend most of with time outdoors with their noses transfixed to the ground.

Give it up for Girl Power

It is scientifically proven that females have a better sense of smell than men. Scientists still aren’t quite sure why. It could have to do with the mother-child bond, how to “smell out” the best possible mate, or that they’ve got a more developed olfactory region of the brain. Get over it boys! Your lady just might have a superior brain to you, when it comes to her sense of smell.

Smell is an intriguing subject, and a powerful one. It’s the reason that savvy companies are spending heavily into a concept known as scent marketing. After all… If we can recognize our significant other through smell alone, think of the power this brings to a business.

A new industry has emerged thanks to our increased knowledge about the human sense of smell. The art of scent is something that moves our very subconscious, and brands such as Hotel Collection are at the forefront of this fascinating field.