Our Savvy Subtle Sense Of Smell

Imagine never savoring the aroma of mom’s freshly-baked gingerbread cookies hot from the oven, being unable to recall the perfume your first sweetheart wore as you awkwardly kissed her, missing your date’s manly cologne mixed with the mysterious fragrance of your corsage when you danced at the High School Prom, the sweetness of the talcum powder you both took turns sprinkling on the baby, and that last one, wafting from the lilies as you finally closed your weary eyes.
While we humans possess about the same number of odor receptors as other mammals, we "smell" both physiologically and psychologically-in fact, the entire healing dimension of aromatherapy is derived from this synergistic phenomenon. So how do we differentiate over 10,000 odor variations with just 1,000 olfactory sensors? Genetic research offers one theory: that at least a thousand different genes deep in our odor-sensing nerves "image" the neural fragrance information into a specific and unique molecular picture. Even a minor variation from this pattern becomes flagged as a different odor by the brain. Marketers are well aware that the home offered for sale is so much more valuable when experienced with the bouquet of apple pie straight from the oven, the successful restaurant must sell the steak’s robust smell as well as its crackling sizzle, and woe betide the bakery that hasn’t got a fan near the door to convey its freshly baked bread’s aroma to lure salivating passersby. History shows how the role of smell has been pivotal in the evolution of civilization.

Time Is Of The Essence

Whether frankincense and myrrh, Easter Lilies, patchouli oil, snuff, a perfumed hanky, smelling salts, incense and peppermint, or Panama Red, odor has accompanied us throughout ages and eras, debacles and destinies, enclaves and empires. Even hardwired in our brains, certain disagreeable odors repel us from involvement with human waste, spoiled foodstuffs, fire, and some dangerous animals.
History offers up some interesting odiferous anecdotes:

• Incense, the first proactive attempt to influence odor, was discovered by the Mesopotamians around 3000 B.C.
• Cocoa, vanilla, tobacco, and cloves arrive in Europe from the Americas and India via Columbus and Vasco de Gama, adding fragrance to the Renaissance Age.
• King Louis XV mandates his courtiers change fragrance daily (regular bathing not being en vogue at that time) thus creating the "Perfumed Court."
• During the Napoleanic era, its namesake uses up to 2 quarts of violet cologne a week; this makes him the world’s first fragrance addict.
• Florida Water, a blend of citrus essence and alcohol developed in the early 1800’s and still in use today, becomes the first popular American-made cologne.
• In the late 19th century, perfumery (the art and science of crafting and synthesizing fragrances) is born; shortly thereafter in 1921, Chanel No. 5 becomes the first expensive mass-produced synthetic perfume.
• In the 20’s, a French chemist at a perfume laboratory accidentally set his arm ablaze; after extinguishing it in a nearby vat of lavender oil, he noticed thereafter it healed quickly and without scarring. Thence was aromatherapy born.
• Fast forward to the present: in 2005 Unilever sold $200 million worth of AXE body spray.

Scents-able Technology

The science behind odor and fragrance plays a widespread role today; it’s found a place in criminal investigation, security applications, psychological research, amnesiac therapy, and chemistry. There’s even an "electronic nose" that mimics the function of its human counterpart, only much more sensitively. One exciting application for this device is to electronically perform the "olfactory diagnoses" that alternative medical practitioners have been doing on their patients for many years. Other uses range from tracking criminal fugitives and crime scene analysis to screening for explosives and contraband. This technology is especially used by the fragrance industry; this has led to sophisticated scent extraction techniques enabling today’s perfumiers to add such aromas as "tobacco shop," "racing car" and "financial newspaper" to the more traditional floral scents. It’s a sure bet essence of Millionaire and eau de Supermodel aren’t far behind!