TED Fellow and chemosensory researcher Paule Joseph unveils the hidden power of a sense that’s too often overlooked: smell. She delves into the science behind smell — from how it evokes memory and emotion to its potential for early disease detection — and advocates for the creation of a baseline test for taste and smell that could open the door to more comprehensive health care.

 

 

Watch the video:

 

and decide if the statements below are true or false:

 

1. Chlorine reminds the speaker of her own childhood.

2. The speaker enjoys the smell of Thanksgiving.

3. Smell is directly linked to the limbic system in the brain.

4. Most people consider smell the most important of the five senses.

5. The speaker first became interested in smell when working as a nurse.

6. Neurodegenerative diseases can affect the sense of smell years before other symptoms.

7. The speaker’s mother-in-law had decreased sense of smell, which helped with an early diagnosis.

8. During COVID, loss of smell was always temporary.

9. Standardized smell tests are commonly used in medical offices.

10. Vision and smell are equally tested during regular medical check-ups

 

 

Key: 1F; 2F; 3T; 4F; 5T; 6T; 7T; 8F; 9F; 10F

 

Glossary

 

• to ignite – to start or trigger something (often used figuratively, not just fire); to inspire, to spark interest, or to cause a strong reaction
• at our own peril – doing something risky or ignoring something important can be dangerous for ourselves
• to tap into – to make use of a resource, skill, or potential

 

 

Practice makes perfect

Read the (first 9 paragraphs of the) article

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-hidden-power-of-scent/

and match words 1-5 to their definitions a)-e)

 

1. acute

2. tangle

3. unperturbed

4. putrid

5. olfactory

 

a) calm, not worried or disturbed

b) relating to the sense of smell

c) extremely sensitive or sharp

d) extremely unpleasant smell

e) a complicated or confused mass of things

 

Now use the correct word from the exercise above to complete the sentences:

 

1. The PVC tubes created a …………. of hoses and pouches in the art installation.

2. The cheese had a ………….. smell that made everyone leave the room.

3. Humans have a surprisingly ………….. sense of smell that influences social interactions.

4. Females rapidly learn the unique ……………  features of their own offspring.

5. Despite the unusual situation, the participants remained ……………. throughout the experiment.

 

 

Key: 1c); 2e); 3a); 4d); 5b);    1. tangle; 2. putrid; 3. acute; 4. olfactory; 5. unperturbed

 

Discuss

 

• Can you think of a smell that instantly brings back a memory? How does it make you feel?
• Why do you think most people underestimate the importance of the sense of smell, compared to vision or hearing?
• The “Smell Blind Date” installation removed visual cues and focused only on body odor. Do you think we rely too much on sight when judging people? Why or why not?
• According to research, women are often more sensitive to odors than men. Why might this be the case biologically?
• In some cultures, body odor is considered natural, while in others it is seen as unacceptable. How does culture influence how we value the sense of smell?

 

Watch and Revise!

 

The Surprising Power of Smell

More Than Meets The Nose

 

https://www.cloud.worldwideschool.pl/index.php/s/dQfX9GciMMWDszw

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