Scientists believe that some people are able to smell when rain is coming.
Many people, particularly in the United Kingdom, are familiar with the distinct aroma that fills the air after a rainstorm.
This post-rain scent, commonly known as ‘petrichor’ and heightened after a stretch of sunshine, has scientific roots.
Despite considerable controversy about its perceptibility before rain falls. Surprisingly, some people believe they can detect approaching rain by smelling the atmospheric changes.
While doubt persists, science may hold the secret to this pre-rain olfactory experience. Mineralogists Isabel Joy Bear and Richard Thomas developed the name Petrichor in 1964, which is derived from the Greek words ‘petros’ meaning stone and ‘ichor’ representing the blood of Greek gods.
It refers to the alluring aroma that follows a rainfall and is caused by soil microorganisms producing a chemical molecule known as ‘geosmin’. Our olfactory capacity to identify geosmin is amazing, exceeding even sharks’ well-known ability to feel blood.
This earthy scent, which many people find appealing, serves another purpose. Soil bacteria produce geosmin to attract creatures into the earth, so promoting the bacterium’s dispersal.
The strength of this aroma after rain is due to the contact of raindrops with the earth.
When raindrops hit the ground, they can encapsulate pockets of air, generating small aerosols that carry chemicals and microbes into the atmosphere.
However, IFLScience has uncovered another fragrance that may alter our sensory experiences: ozone.
Ozone has a unique, slightly sweeter fragrance than petrichor. This ozone odor might indicate an incoming storm. The aroma comes from the gas being blown to ground level by the winds of an approaching storm.
This occurrence brings ozone gas into close proximity with our nostrils, allowing us to sense its aroma. As a result, the idea that certain people can detect the presence of rain by scent has some scientific validity.
The interplay of petrichor’s olfactory seduction and the ozone scent’s stormy foreboding exemplifies the deep links between our senses and the natural world. So, the perfume associated with rain has a scientific basis, with geosmin generated by soil microorganisms adding to the lovely scent of petrichor.
The aroma of ozone preceding a storm supports the belief that some people can smell rain coming. The world around us is continuously exposing its hidden intricacies through the interaction of natural smells and our senses.
